The Nightmare saga: A Wraith In The Night
by JohnnyReb
Summary: Story 2. The greatest battle Nerima had ever witnessed is over. Ranam and his friends start to pick back up with their lives and celebrate. However, rumors of Ranma's battles against the Shadow Warrior has brought two men to Nerima in search of him and his friends. Ranma was able to prevail once before, but can he defeat a new foe who is immune to his strongest attacks?
1. Chapter one: Victory Celebration

A WRAITH IN THE NIGHT.

A Ranma 1/2 fanfic

Part two of the _Nightmare _saga.

By Jason Olin

Once again, these characters aren't mine. They belong to the holy Mrs. Takahashi, Viz, and everyone else who brought the series to TV., both in Japan and on video here in the U.S.

Note: If you haven't read all of the first story, Warrior of the Shadows, this fic will spoil some of it's surprises. I strongly recommend you read the first story before starting in on this one. A saga is always better if read in order after all!

This series ties the end of the manga and the end of the oav together. For example, in my series, the events that occurred with Saffron, took place after the last OAV episode, "The two Akane's, Ranma, Look At Me!". I hope that clears up any possible confusion.

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Chapter 1: Victory Celebration

Ranma Saotome did not consider himself to be a social person. He did not enjoy parties or festivals as a rule. Tonight though, that particular mindset did not apply. He found the loud music, the laughter of friends and classmates alike as people talked and exchanged merriment around him in Furinkan's school gym to be infectious. The excitement of the large room was absolutely electrifying and even the normally sour puss Ranma Saotome had to admit he was having a great time.

It might have been because the party was being held in his and Ryoga's honor, but as bloated as Ranma's ego could sometimes be, this time that was not the case. No, this time he found himself having a good time and relaxing around others simply because he was alive and to do so. A few months ago, had things gone differently, he might not have survived to experience this night. The fact that he was still breathing was more than reason enough to give thanks for his life, and enjoy a good time at a social event.

Needless to say, life started to take on an entirely new appeal after someone threatened to take it away from him. He had found this out the hard way when a being calling itself the Shadow Warrior had come into town, flush from victories against three of Ranma's old rivals, whom he had crushed in battle one after another. Ranma had almost been added to that monster's list of casualties and would have been dead meat if it hadn't been for the help of Ryoga, his own innate abilities, and a lot of luck. After discovering that the Shadow Warrior's identity was Pantyhose Taro, the two boys barely managed to dispatch their elder nemesis back to China in broken disgrace before it was too late.

The price for victory had been high however. Both Ryoga and he had been trashed horrendously and the conditions their bodies had been left in had forced them to rest up in the hospital for quite some time. Ranma's wounds had been less severe so he had spent only enough time there to be considered eligible for release. Poor Ryoga on the other hand, had had to stay in the hospital's care for much longer. An injury sustained by Ukyo's attack had hindered him. Because of this, the second fight against the Shadow Warrior had nearly cost him his life.

As of tonight he had only been out for five days and the effects of his regained freedom shone upon his face in the form of a giant grin that stretched from ear to ear. He still seemed a bit stiff when he turned to the side but beyond that, it was very difficult to tell that he had ever been injured. Modern medicine and the best hospital care in Tokyo had done him a world of good.

The school officials had really outdone themselves in preparation of the festivity. The entire gym was lit with celebration signs, confetti, food, and cheerful faces. Outstanding music filled the air and vibrated the windows, care of the top D.J.'s in town and his arsenal of speakers that were strategically placed throughout the room and up in the rafters of the gym.

It was the food table Ranma was most interested in since it consisted of not only Japanese cuisine but also exotic food from Nekonron and the Musk Dynasty as well. Herb and Kirin had attended the party just as they promised they would, though their decedent attire, the formal robes of their respective kingdoms, made them stand out like a sore thumb. Judging by the attention Herb was drawing from the young ladies, since he was the only single one of the two Chinese lords', he was probably counting himself lucky.

Toma, the young prince of Togenkyo was also present, though he had fashioned his appearance to match those of the older Japanese men. His three guards, part human part animal, remained on the watch, their dutiful gaze only occasionally interrupted as a school girl occasionally walked by.

Herb's eyes met Ranma's and even from across the gym, his exotic appearance and feral eyes could not be overlooked. Relaxed as he was, an aura of strength still shone around his form, simmering like heat off a sidewalk on a hot day. Only a well-trained martial artist could see this and Herb's red aura was next to impossible to miss. The dragon's blood of the royal Musk line was overwhelmingly strong, and it looked as if the young prince had been training hard as of late. He flashed a small smile at Ranma then resumed a story he was telling to the gathering of females, who gave him their uppermost attention.

Turning to look at the other end of the gym, Ranma watched as Kirin's wife was trying to teach her husband to dance. Dismayed because he found that he couldn't pick the skill up as easily as some, Kirin was particularly irked as he gazed at Toma who was wooing a school girl several years his elder with his formidable dancing skills. Laughing quietly, Lichee took her husband by the hand and led him off to one of the room's unoccupied corners and proceeded to instruct him where there would not be as many people to watch on as he further embarrassed himself.

Ukyo and Ryoga were having a good time from the looks of things as they somewhat shyly came together as a couple on the crowded dance floor. Neither had ever had any experience at this sort of thing, dancing or otherwise. On top of that, Ukyo was clearly a bit on the self-conscious side dressed in a pretty yet slightly informal dress of an emerald green color. It wasn't something she was used to wearing and her nervous smile showed that to be true. Ryoga obviously enjoyed seeing her in such an outfit, and his pleased expression helped to settle her nerves on the matter. In turn, her eyes sparkled like diamonds at the casual outfit he wore that bulged slightly from his muscled form. He was clad in a brown pair of dress slacks and a white button down shirt. While this sort of dressing was as alien to him as Ukyo's was to her, he seemed the far more comfortable of the two.

Gently, almost timidly, he took her right hand in his own and wrapped his left arm around her lithe waist. Blushing heavily, both fumbled around as they tried to establish a dancing rhythm, each muttering apologies when they stepped on each other's feet. Eventually, they got the hang of it and romantic bliss blossomed between the two of them where nervousness has previously resided. Working into the sound of the music around them, their bodies moved as one, twirling with grace as they danced together, enjoying the moment. They attracted the attention of the rest of the dancing crowd and some gathered around to watch them dance, smiling at the love that was pouring from the souls of the two young loves.

Ryoga and Ukyo had fallen completely and utterly in love via some of the most drastic and horrible of circumstances, but the tenderness they gave to one another had more than made up for the rough beginning. While in the hospital Ranma had divulged his theory that someone had taken control of Ukyo the night she'd gone berserk. Both of them had agreed on that point but neither could figure out who had been behind it.

The sight of the two of them dancing as enough to pierce even Ranma's mentality, and he watched with a small smile as his former rival and his best childhood friend danced on, displaying their emotions as clearly as could be.

"I'm sorry… I'm not very good at things like this," Ryoga apologized, blushing.

Ukyo shook her head in amusement. "Oh, like I am? I grew up as a tomboy, Ryo-Chan. I lived the life of a boy bent on vengeance and that left no time to learn how to dance gracefully and elegant, I assure you."

"Really?" Ryoga's breath was hot against her ear and she felt a ping of excitement course through her spine. "You could have fooled me, Ukyo. You're a natural."

Her face flushed and she moved to lay her head on his shoulder. Oh how he excited her. He had always done so, except during his most pathetic moments, like in the Tunnel of Lost Love.

The first time they had met almost two years ago, Ryoga had attacked her ruthlessly, not realizing that she was in fact a girl. During their brief skirmish, there had been no question as to who was the better fighter and even as scared as she had been on that hot summer afternoon, a small part of her had been attracted to his power and skill. Feeling those powerful arms envelope her form now, she felt almost lightheaded.

"Flatterer," She giggled, inhaling his scent.

"Guilty as charged." She could feel his grin even without looking.

Her grip on him tightened slightly. She held him, recalling, despite herself, the pain and fear she had felt during the fight with the Shadow Warrior. The cost of victory had been almost enough to rob him from her life and she still got a bit teary eyed just thinking about it. Ryoga had endured more than his fair share of suffering and pain over the last few months. He still was not back to full strength and she found himself worrying more and more about his overall welfare.

"I'm so glad it's all over," she whispered, nuzzling him, her hand gently coming to rest of his healing side, a wound she herself had delivered in a fit of madness. She closed her eyes tightly, wishing for the power to heal him completely and erase the painful memory from both their minds.

"You and me both," he replied. "I've had enough fighting and bloodshed to last me a life time. I'm ready to start the next chapter of my life now."

"And what will that consist of?" she asked.

Ryoga looked down at her with his chocolate brown eyes. "Well, living my life to the fullest. I want to be with you, Ukyo. I really do. Do you think we can make everything work out?"

She flushed an even deeper red and pressed tighter against him again, nodding her head. "We'll see what the future holds. For now, let's just dance, shall we? We can sort out the rest tomorrow."

"Do you want to dance too, Ranma?" Akane's voice caught his attention and he turned away from watching his friend to look at her, admiring the beautiful soft glow her pearl colored evening gown gave off as the gym's overhead lights fell around her like crisp moonlight. She gave him a small, hopeful smile and closed her eyes to cover her nervousness. She was still a bit unused to displaying her true feelings for him, but he certainly preferred nervous smiles to thrown fists; that was her old method of covering up her embarrassment.

"Nah, I'm not too good at junk like that," he replied, casting his eyes aside.

"Oh." Akane's bright smile faded some and her posture deflated.

"Hey, don't get me wrong," he said, waving his hand in front of himself. "It's not that I wouldn't want to with you, it's just that I just don't like dancing in general, ya know?"

Akane nodded. "Yeah, it's ok. Don't worry about it." She started to fan herself as a soft sheen of sweat glistened on her forehead. "Man, this gym is kind of hot. I'm going to get something cold to drink. Would you likething some too?"

Ranma nodded. "Sure, thanks."

Akane turned and headed over to the snack and soda stand. Watching from a short distance away, Nadoka Saotome approached her son, placing her hand on his shoulder and smiling gently. "Are you having a good time, Ranma?"

He turned his head toward her. "Yeah. I mean its ok. I guess."

Turning him gently to face her, Nadoka brushed a strand of hair from her face and smiled gently, the same kind smile he somehow remembered since the beginning of his existence. How Genma had managed to end up with her was the greatest mystery in the world. She was certainly more than the old fool deserved. As he looked up at his mother's eyes, he saw that they were shimmering gently and he suddenly felt a bit uneasy. "What is it, Mom? Are you going to cry?"

Nadoka shook her head. "I just can't believe we're a family again after so long spent apart. Please allow a mother to gaze at her handsome son, and be proud of the man he has become."

Clad in a soft yet fashionable summer Kimono, she looked every bit the capable and the determined woman that could live and survive on her own for so long. Day after day she fought the loneliness with the conviction that someday her husband and son would return to her. Her soft, beautiful face shone with just a touch of makeup and she carried herself with elegance and grace, honed after years of practice.

"Oh, I do so wish I had known about the situation you had endured as it was going on Ranma. Aunt Satsuki lives in a very rustic area out near the mountains and didn't have a working telephone at the time. I was unwise to not call in and check on you while I was gone. If I had known, I would have rushed home as fast as I could."

"Don't regret a thing Mom," Ranma said. "There wouldn't have been anything you could have done to stop Taro. Besides, Aunt Satsuki was really sick right? What you were doing was important."

Nadoka's eyes shimmered. "I'm so very proud of you, Ranma. You showed great strength and great mercy in letting him leave after what he had tried to do."

Ranma blushed and started to look extremely uncomfortable. "Mom, is this really the place and time for this?"

Nadoka nodded. "I can't think of a better time to admire my son than on the night a party is thrown in his honor. Do you truly grasp the magnitude of the deed you have accomplished? With the help of your dear friend, you preserved the school from the vilest threat it has ever experienced, saved the lives of your family members and perhaps the lives of many of your classmates as well. Most importantly of all, you got to that Taro boy and brought him back to his senses before he could further hurt himself or others. You're a hero in every sense of the word Ranma. Your father and I are so very proud of you. You really are becoming a man among men."

Ranma scratched the back of his head. "I uh, didn't really think of the situation like that when it was happening. All I kept thinking about was survival and winning… If I couldn't win then I knew I wouldn't have any chance at a future with…" He trailed off and looked beyond his mother at Akane, probably instinctively.

His mother flashed a small knowing smile. "She's a beautiful girl and has the makings of a dutiful wife behind that tomboy exterior. She's got her share flaws, but I've always liked Akane. You're feelings for her are well placed."

Ranma looked stricken for a moment. "Don't tell me you're going to start pushing towards marriage too mom! I'm just not ready to cross that bridge yet. Dad and are bad enough as it is!"

She shook her head gently and Ranma's face turned to one of relief. "You've much yet to learn and live for, my son. A marriage between two as young and inexperienced at living as adults as you two are could hardly hope to succeed. Genma and Soun are starting to realize that traditional, arranged marriages can't be forced or prodded in modern Japanese society. Or at least… I hope they are."

Ranma smiled. "I'm glad you're back in my life mom. I have the feelin' you're really going to be the voice of reason in this crazy household."

"Oh, I'll handle Genma, don't worry about that." Her tone held a promise of pain for her bumbling husband. "You just concentrate on living and getting your way through school."

"I'll do my best," he said.

"Well, I'll let you get back to your friends now. Thank you for letting your concerned mother share a bit of your time. Have a good time tonight, Ranma. You've more than earned it."

He beamed a warm smile. "I will."

She smiled softly in return. "Oh and son, remember that part of having a relationship is doing things for those we care about even if it doesn't necessarily interest us. A good relationship is built off of compromise. That's the key to keeping yourself and your loved ones happy. Remember that."

She winked and turned away, making her way towards a cluster of teachers and parents to join in on their conversation. Blinking, Ranma pondered why his mother had told him that as he looked out at the dancing, fun-loving students in front of him. Had he somehow wronged Akane without even realizing it?

As if on cue, Akane appeared before him with two drinks in hand and held one up to him. "Here's some punch, Ranma. It's got a pretty good tropical flavor."

"Uh, thanks." Taking the cup from her, his hand accidentally ran along her own and he blushed slightly, his eyes moving to look at the floor. He remembered how small her wrists were, how smooth and soft her skin was. His attraction to her overwhelmed him time and time again and he had yet to find a proper way to deal with it.

Akane looked at him with concern. "Are you ok? Your face is looking a bit red. Do you need to get a bit of air?"

"It is a bit stuffy in here," he admitted. "Wanna take a walk outside?"

She smiled, her short blue hair bobbing behind her. "Sure."

They walked outside enjoying the feel of the air as brushed past their skin. Ranma sighed with relief, looking up at the night sky as they walked into the courtyard. Akane held her gown up to keep it from getting dirty and walked beside him, feeling herself relax a bit more away from staring eyes of her peers. The evening stars twinkled above them, serenaded by crickets and other gentle insects of the night. They walked through the grassy area where they often ate lunch, moving among the well-trimmed bushes and scattered trees, enjoying the sounds of nature around them.

"Everyone sure is enjoying themselves," Akane commented, looking up at him. "But you don't look like you're enjoying yourself much at all. What's the matter? Don't take this the wrong way but you usually love being in the spotlight as attention rains down on you."

Ranma pursed his lips. "You're going to think this is crazy but I keep seeing Pantyhose's broken and battered face every time I close my eyes. I'm worried that his injuries might have been more serious than he let on. I know it's strange to worry about a guy who tried to kill me but…"

Akane smiled and closed her eyes, shaking her head slightly. "No, it isn't crazy. You've stuck your neck out for your enemies many times before, and they for you. It's just part of who you are. You can be the most insensitive of jerks, but I also know you have a big heart that comes out when it wants to. I admire your concern for others and I'm proud of you for offering to help him after the fight. Other people wouldn't have been so merciful."

"Yeah, I guess so. But then again, my kindness is probably going to cause Taro more torment than any physical injury ever could as he reflects on his stint as the Shadow Warrior while he heals."

"Good!" Akane exclaimed despite herself. "Just because I don't want to see him get injured further or die doesn't mean he doesn't deserve to get kicked around by his own conscience for a while! He nearly _killed_ you and Ryoga and I hope it comes back to haunt him for years to come."

She suddenly realized how loud she had become and quickly covered her mouth with her hand. Looking up at Ranma's amused expression she giggled softly and stuck her tongue out. "Well anyways, it over and everyone gets to live happily ever after, I guess. That's more than enough reason for this night to be a perfect one."

Ranma shook his head as a slight blush rose on his cheeks. "I um, I don't think it's a perfect night. Not yet. Something needs to be done."

Akane arched an eyebrow. "Oh? And what's that?"

Ranma slowly raised his hand towards her, invitingly. He recognized the perfect atmosphere and could find no better time than the present to implement his mother's advice. "May I have this dance?"

Her face flushed crimson fire. "Out here? But there's no music…"

His tone was soft and inviting. "We don't need music."

Akane smiled and placed her hand on his as his hand came around to encircle her waist. "What brought this on? I thought you hated dancing."

Ranma wasn't a great dancer by any means but he knew enough about it to create a slow, romantic dance that didn't require excessive moments that would lead him to step all over her toes. His fingers interlaced with hers and he pulled her body a bit closer, looking down into her eyes as the moon glowed upon them like a spotlight. For this moment at least, nothing else existed besides the two of them. For once, the madness of Nerima relented and the two lovers felt their heartbeats quicken as they shared a rarely experienced intimate moment. It was nothing short of heavenly.

Slowly, they twirled in a circle upon the grass as the chorus of night insects serenaded them from the trees. Fireflies winked on and off around them, their golden light only adding more of a magical feel to the area around Ranma and Akane as they gave in to their desires, and bonded together with their eyes and their hearts.

Akane smelled so good to Ranma and he leaned a bit closer, inhaling the scent that rose from her shining hair. She looked absolutely beautiful and even though he couldn't properly tell her so, he needed this time with her so very much. His future had almost been wiped away and the thought of not seeing her again had scared him more than the thought of losing his own life. He wanted to hold her forever and he suddenly held her closer still, until he could feel her heart beat against his chest.

"You're not bad at this," Akane whispered shyly, casting her eyes downward under his intense gaze. He didn't answer, instead he twirled Akane softly around then pulled her back into his arms.

"Now you're just showing off," she giggled.

The dance continued and the minutes rolled by. Neither spoke as a magical connection linked the two teenagers together. They would glance at one another then look away, both still so inexperienced and insecure with the raw and powerful emotions that had sprung up inside of them. There was so much Ranma wanted to say, so much he felt he had to tell Akane. His soul howled for him to spout apologies for years of tormenting her, but no words came out. Looking at her, it reminded him of their first real date several months ago, where he had first realized that within Akane was the makings of a beautiful girl. If possible, she looked even more appealing now than she did then.

It suddenly dawned on him that this party wasn't just about the accomplishments of himself and Ryoga. True, they had defeated Taro, but he understood now that if it hadn't been for Akane and Ukyo encouraging them, neither of them would have survived. In a way, this party was as much for two girls as it was for them. They were the unsung heroes.

"It's because of you." he whispered, despite himself.

Akane looked up at him. "What?"

He blushed and struggled not to look away. He had already started speaking his inner thoughts; why not just finish saying what she deserved to hear? "You're the reason I won Akane," He said softly. "It wasn't only because of my skill or power. I wasn't about to let him take me away from you."

Akane's eyes widened slightly and her lips parted slightly. "Ranma…"

He looked at her with an intense look that strained against his self-control. "I won the battle because I wanted to be with you for the rest of my life. I wasn't about to let him rob me of that chance…"

With a sharp intake of breath Akane stood on her tip toes and pressed her lips tightly against his. Clenching her eyes tight against budding tears; she wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly against her. Taken by surprise, Ranma non-the-less responded to her flood of affection and returned her kiss, gently picking her up in his arms as if she weighed less than a blade of grass. She broke the kiss only to kiss him again, and again, her hands clutching at his clothing. Each time her lips touched him he felt the fire within him flare up, stronger than last. Against his own body he felt her figure tremble and he watched as small silver tears streaked down her soft cheeks as she looked at him.

"I've waited… so long… hoping that you would say those words to me." Burying her face into his chest, she abandoned all her remaining restraints and unleashed all her love upon him. Tomorrow everything would be back to normal and they would once again have to tone down their feelings. But nothing could take away what they were sharing tonight and Akane wanted to milk it for all it was worth.

Ranma smiled softly. "No matter what happens, I'll always be here for you."

"I know. I know you will," Akane whispered, nuzzling against his chest. The inexperienced lovers held onto one another, breathing quickly as they further explored the depths of their love. It wasn't until several of the students came outside that Ranma reluctantly took a step back from her and looked at his watch. To his amazement, he saw that nearly an hour had gone by.

"We should be getting back. The gang might think we've skipped out on em."

"Ranma," Akane said, taking his hands in her own and bringing them to her lips. "Even if we have to keep this to ourselves for now to avoid trouble with our remaining rivals and parents and even if we still fight just as we always have, never forget that I care deeply for you."

"I won't." he whispered.

Heading back towards the gymnasium's door, Ranma cleared his throat. "Say, how'd you like to continue your training tomorrow? I still got a lot to teach you."

Akane beamed a smile up at him as they descended into the crowded, music blaring room. "I thought you'd never ask."

In better spirits than ever before, Ranma and his friends met up on the dance floor and allowed all the remaining stress of the last few months fade away. The chapter of the best time of their lives had begun to open and amidst the smiling faces of his family and loved ones. Ranma realized at that very moment that there was nowhere else he'd rather be. Flashing Akane a small smile, he took his mother by surprise and led her out onto the dance floor.

Akane's proud smile followed him, further lifting him atop cloud nine. For once he knew that nothing, at least for the moment, could possibly go wrong. The gods above graciously saw fit to prove his beliefs true for a change. It struck Ranma, as he continued his rather impressive dancing skills with first his mother then sharing a far more informal dance with Akane, that this was far more than just a part in celebration of life and victory, it was a party of healing.

For a moment Ranma let his thoughts drift to China. No party or victory ceremony would greet Pantyhose Taro back home, but he hoped that the boy at least found the same amount of healing. He uttered a silent prayer for Taro's recovery then allowed himself to further delve into the waning party.


	2. Chapter 2: The First Pair

Chapter 2: The First Pair

The loud crash from his master's bedroom reached Zero's ears as he walked down the red carpeted hallways of the decedent if slightly unkempt German castle. He broke into a run, nearly bowling over two house servants and a pair of militarist German security guards who weren't quick enough to move out of his way. Opening the massive oak doors to his lord's private room, he burst in and looked around for the source of the commotion. Things hadn't been especially normal this last week and his master had been even more reclusive than normal. This was a good cause for worry in itself, never mind the sound of what could very well have been a struggle going on in his master's inner sanctum. A high priority figure like his master would make a fitting target for assassination indeed.

"Are you alright sir?" he called, ready to attack as he looked around for an intruder.

A quiet voice trailed back, eerie and ethereal. It seemed to echo from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. _"Not so loud, Zero… I am fine."_

The castle lord was hunched over his desk on the far side of the room, half bathed in shadows that seemed to cling to his body like a warm blanket. He seemed to be in the grip of utter agony as he clung to his desk for dear life. Retching sounds could be heard as the man's frame shook and shuddered, showing that he was anything but fine. The room stank of decay and Zero had to back closer to the door to keep from gagging.

He put a hand over his nose and mouth. "You're not fine! You're having another attack from that disease of yours. Let me get the doctor."

_"Arghh!" _With a sweep of his hand the contents on his desk were sent flying, some breaking on the wall or spilling onto the floor. _"And what possible good would a doctor do me?!" _he asked in frustration, slamming his fist down on the desk's wooden finish. _"This is so far beyond a treatable medical issue! If medicines could banish this damned disease from my body, do you not think I would have paid to have it done so long ago?!"_

"Well, there must be something we can do," Zero reasoned, noticing with relief that the smell of decay was rapidly dissipating as his master seemed to slowly recover his strength. "You can't go on like this."

With slow deliberation, the lord smoothed out his black robes and tightened the black hood that kept his face and head covered from sight. He turned to face his bodyguard, recovering his posture. He looked once more the strong ruler that Zero had known when he had first met him. _"I am very much in agreement there."_

The room's only source of illumination came from dim, wall mounted electric candles that could not penetrate the depths of the hood's interior. Only his master's red eyes shone through the pitch blackness. As Zero gazed into those red portals of hell, he felt sure that a lesser man would be absolutely terrified of the sight before him. Lord Wraith preferred to block out the bright sun. Part of this was because of his disease, but Zero had learned from some of the castle security forces that even before Wraith had been stricken, he had been revealed to be an albino.

_"There is only one thing that can be done, my friend. The people I saw in my vision, have they been found? Do they indeed exist?" _Wraith didn't even attempt to hide his hopeful tone.

Zero nodded. "Several members of the Hand were sent to check it out and they have only just returned. I have good news for you concerning that. It seems your vision was correct. We've found them! Including the boy; the one you've been speaking most adamantly about lately."

_"Thank god," _Wraith sighed, his shoulders slumping relief. _"This disease has taken so much from me already. I will not let it take my life! I have so much left to do, so many plans that are close to fruition. I must have the power that boy and his friends possess."_

Zero folded his arms, looking a trifle displeased. "When I came to serve you, you promised me a chance to fight some of the strongest warriors in the world. I hope you haven't forgotten that. I want a battle in which my opponent is strong enough to challenge my true powers. I don't mind you killing anyone, and I don't mind helping you, but I want a chance to display my skills, master. I won't allow you to waste my precious time."

_"I always keep my promises, Zero,"_ he growled. _"I hope you have not forgotten that,"_ he added sarcastically. _"If these people do indeed match the visions I have had, then they are all very strong indeed. Do not worry, you will have you're little brawl. But until then, you will obey my orders without question. Is that clear? We mustn't tip our hand too quickly."_

The intense flare that came from the lord's eyes gave pause to even Zero's defiant nature. "Y-yes sir."

The tall castle lord took a step forward. _"I've told you this before, Zero. Do not let the sight of my diseased body cause you to think that I lack the strength to get what I want, both from my subjects and enemies alike." _From the depths of his cloak and garments he raised his black gloved encased hand. He raised his arm to chest level and a ball of energy sparked out from his long fingernails that poked out from the end of the glove. The power collected into his hand, swelling to the size of a baseball, sparking and twisting.

_"This energy is but a fragment of what I can summon. I have abilities that you desire to learn, abilities that I can use to teach you your place if you ever cross me. I trust I make myself clear?" _The orb fizzled and danced in his palm, begging to be released. Zero felt a cold sweat break out across his brow and he quickly nodded.

The lord squashed the summoned power a second later and seemed to deflate a bit as he turned to sit at his desk again. _"You are my newest and most trusted associate, Zero. I admire your wild streak, but don't even think of defying me while you still serve in my ranks. When you have gone your separate way, then you may do as you wish. You could leave right now if you wanted, but I have a use for you and you have knowledge and training that you wish to acquire from me. In that we have a perfect relationship in which both of us has the opportunity to get what we want."_

Zero nodded. "You are right. I will not overstep my bounds. A deal is a deal, and I will honor my words."

_ "Good. Now then, send those Hand warrior's in here so I might question them. Provided their information is worth it's speak, how soon can you make preparations for us to leave?"_

"Us, sir?"

_"That's right. I will accompany you. I grow tired of dwelling in this castle as my illness consumes my flesh from within. If I am going to beat this condition once and for all, I must make an active effort to do so. I grow weak from sitting and festering in this castle all the time." _

Zero thought a moment. "I can have all your necessarily effects packed within a few hours. When would you like to leave?"

_"The day after tomorrow. I have a few loose ends to tie up here first. Our timetable is tight, but not drastically so. Once we arrive at our destination, we'll have some time to observe our targets and find a proper time to strike."_  
Zero nodded. "Yes sir. Shall I order a detachment of the Hand to accompany us? Or perhaps arrange for some of our out of country mercenaries to come as support?"

The lord shook his head. _"No. Modern Ninja and mercenaries have their uses, but this time I want to keep things simple. It will be just you and I going out this time."_

"Very good sir."

_"Now, leave me-" _The lord's words were cut off by a painful cough and as he hunched forward in his seat, a pasty white fluid leaked out from his hood and spilled down his clothing and into the floor, staining and burning the carpet like acid. With a ragged breath, the lord drew in on himself as if chilled, his body convulsing painfully. _"I said leave me, damn it!"_

Zero hastened for the door and shut it behind him. He felt the slightest trace of decay fill the air again as it leaked out from the crack under the door, cracking the wooden finish. Shaking his head with a mixture of pity and respect running through his mind, he set off on his errand to gather up the recently arrived Hand warriors, all the while trying to push the image of the his master's burning, hellish eyes from his mind.

* * *

"Train Ukyo?"

Ranma and Ryoga gazed up at the stars from the roof. It was late at night. The victory celebration held in their honor had been over for hours and yet the two heroes were awake long after everyone else in the Tendo household had gone to bed.

The night was still, much like the evening before the second battle against Pantyhose Taro. The fireflies cascaded across the night sky as if dancing to the tunes of the crickets and other insects that made their home around the Tendo pond.

"Why not," Ranma replied. "I'm trainin' Akane so it would make sense for you to train Ukyo. There are advantages."

Ryoga's curiosity was hooked. "Like what?"

Ranma held up a hand and began ticking off on his fingers. "To make the bond between you two stronger, to get exercise, and most importantly, it will allow them to defend themselves if Taro comes back for more."

"Or, they could help us in battle directly," Ryoga added.

Ranma sat upright in surprise. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, we kept them out of the fight with Taro, didn't we?"

"Them and everyone else as well," Ranma reminded him. "It was our fight, not theirs. We kept them safe. It is the duty and honor of a martial artist to protect what he cares about."

"We upheld our honor, true," Ryoga conceded. "But we were fighting an enemy who had none himself. This placed us at an extreme disadvantage. Furthermore, we fought a real life-or-death battle and the girls had to helplessly sit on the sidelines. As fellow martial artists we have a duty to teach them if for no other reason than simply being with us could put them in danger. Taro could have killed Akane easy the first time he beat us. It was only due to his arrogance that we all managed to survive for a second round. The truth is Ukyo and Akane need to be able to confront that sort danger should it ever come to that."

"Hey I suggested the idea," Ranma reminded him. "I'm just not onboard with the idea of training them to fight our battles."

"Not fighting them for us," the Lost Boy corrected, "Fighting them with us. You and Akane fought together against Natsumi and Karumi, remember?"

"That was different. I didn't train Akane and those two weren't out to genuinely kill us."

"Still, think of their feelings," Ryoga reasoned. "Do you think, given the opportunity, they would want to sit on the sidelines or help us? You know the answer to that."

Ranma wanted to protest, tried to, but the words wouldn't come out.

"To not train them to fight at our side would be irresponsible," Ryoga stated matter-of-factly, thus securing victory.

Ranma chewed on bitter defeat for a few minutes in contemplative silence. "Alright then. At any rate, I've got the easier end of the deal. Akane's been training her whole life and I've been teaching her how to sense, focus, and use her ki for months now. Ukyo may be a martial artist but she relies on weapons, trained herself, and lacks Akane's raw endurance. You are going to have to do it right man. And considering you've never trained anyone before means you have your work cut out for you."

Now it was Ryoga's turn to fall silent. He stared up at the vast network of stars above, more than half of which was eclipsed by the bright lights of Tokyo. Ranma had a point. It was a huge responsibility. He'd have to plan out a training schedule well in advance and really think it over. The one point he knew for certain was that Ukyo had the ability to do whatever she put her mind to. Such were the qualities of a girl who made her own way and living in the world at the tender age of 16.

"I'll do it right," Ryoga vowed.

It was decided then. The two teens extended their arms towards each other and fist-bumped, the warrior's handshake. Looking back up at the stars Ryoga had the sudden thought that things might not settle down in Nerima as much as he'd thought.


	3. Chapter 3 A Wanderer Finds a Home

Chapter 3: A Wanderer Finds a Home

Akane wiped the sweat from her brow and felt her lungs scream for air as she stood against the dojo's sturdy wooden walls, fighting back against the strong sensation of exertion that was currently ailing her. Not trusting her shaking legs, she sank down to the wooden floor, resting her back against the wall. Despite the discomfort that stretched throughout her body, a huge grin spread across her face and her eyes sparkled like evening stars. "I did it!"

Ranma nodded. "Congrats Akane! You've mastered the ability to channel ki within yourself. Now all we have to do is form the energy into a specific attack. I want you to spend the next few days thinking of a name for your attack and continuing to channel the energy inside you until you feel you can do it without the slightest bit of effort." He stood, looking down, rewarding her determination with a proud smile.

"Is there a reason for it needing to be called upon so quickly?" she asked.

He nodded. "Sure. In combat, you'll need to be able to attack without much of a delay, especially if it's to counter an opponent's own attack. I still have a ways to go myself, as the fight with Taro showed. I guess it just goes to show you that a martial artist is never done training."

Akane nodded at his instructions and looked up at him taking long deep breaths to ease her lungs. "Thank you for training me, Ranma."

He offered her his arm and she climbed to her feet. She clung to him, letting her hands roam freely across his broad, muscular back as her shaky legs gained strength once more. She leaned into him and felt the warmth of his body soak into her skin. The gentle beating of his heart was clearly felt against her breasts. A light blush touched her cheeks as she remembered the intimate moment they had shared under the moonlight the night before.

"Ranma?" she asked, steadying herself.

"What, Akane?"

"Why do you care about me? I'm not the strongest martial artist and my cooking does stink. I also have a bad temper, and I get jealous all the time. Why me? There's nothing I've got that those other girls can't offer."

She nuzzled against his shoulder. Suddenly, she felt extremely vulnerable for having gone fishing for compliments and she realized that asking Ranma, who often spoke without thinking first, had probably not been a good idea.

"Sure that stuff may be true, but I've got my faults too. All those other girls have one small flaw: they aren't you, they aren't Akane. Shampoo and Ukyo are my friends and Kodachi is... well, anyways, sure they're all pretty, but you're the only one I want to... to…" Ranma began to stutter and his words died off into an awkward silence.

He still wasn't used to expressing high levels of love and affection, and he suddenly wished for the courage he had experienced the night before. He shook his head and she looked at him with a small amount of amusement, shaking her head as she removed her hands from him and took a step backwards.

Suddenly a disturbed look flashed across her face, shattering the rather blissful moment they had been sharing.

"What's up?" He looked down at her, flashing a puzzled frown.

"Um, Ranma, I was wondering, would you stop by my room later on tonight?" She asked the question with hesitation and her fingers nervously clasped together as she cast her eyes to the ground.

"Gah! Akane I, er uh... we're still so young and all! There's no need to... I mean, if you want to then I..."

His brain began to shut down as black smoke visibly rolled out of his ears and hovered in the air around him. His fear of women and intimate contact might have decreased over the last month, but he was still immature to the concept. Akane knew they both had a long way to go before either of them was ready for the next big step. More and more it seemed that she would have to be hand that guided him into the latter stages of maturity.

She giggled and lightly hit him in the head. "I didn't say to do _that_ you jerk! It's just that being held in your arms makes me feel secure. I haven't slept well the past few nights and knowing you were there with me would help a lot."

Ranma breathed a sigh of relief. "Of course. Of course I will."

"Ranma, Akane, dinner is ready!" Ryoga called from the dining room. Ranma didn't have to be told twice.

"Let's go!" He dashed from the room, leaving the screen door open behind him as he followed his nose to the food that awaited him.

Rolling her eyes, Akane went and sat with the others at the dining room table at the other end of the house. Ukyo happened to be over for dinner, helping Kasumi and Nadoka cook up a particularly delicious feast. Kasumi placed a smaller table off to the side for Ryoga and Ukyo to eat at so things wouldn't seem too crowded on the main table.

"I'm starved!" Ranma called as he and Akane eagerly took up their regular seats next to each other and waited as Kasumi brought out a western style dinner of mouth-watering steaks and mashed potatoes. Ranma and Genma attacked the helpless food with an animal like ferocity as the others tried their best not to notice. Large sweat drops fell from their heads and Soun coughed loudly, diverting his attention elsewhere.

Ukyo had insisted on cooking for Ryoga. She came up behind him and set down a huge plate filled with steak, French fries, and carrots. "Here you go, Ryo-chan! I made this myself!" She grabbed herself a plate made up of the same food and sat down across from him, smiling broadly.

"Ukyo, I didn't know you could cook western style!" Ryoga took a bite of his steak, letting his sharp fangs cut the meat like built in knives. "It's delicious!"

Ukyo's eyes shone with happiness. She took unimaginable pride in her cooking skills, as any self-respecting chef would. "Okonomiyaki is my specialty but I can cook other things too. All I need is a recipe!"

"Hey, how come Ryoga gets French fries!?" Ranma complained, eyeing Ryoga's plate with a predatory gleam.

Akane bopped him on the head. "Keep your eyes on your _own _plate, Ranma! Honestly, I'm going to teach you table manners even if it kills me!"

Ryoga started to chuckle until his wound chose that moment to unleash a spike of pain and he grimaced, his free hand reaching down to cup his side. Besides being at the party, Ryoga's wound had kept him laid up in bed as he slowly healed from his injuries. He was almost in the clear. Soon he could slowly start training again, but only in short segments. The beating Taro had given him had been severe and it was only his will and strong body that kept him from succumbing to greater injury and infection.

At long last, things were finally settling down. The chaos that had gripped the town for so long was fading into the wind. Countless disgruntled neighbors sighed with joy and nestled in their beds at night without having to worry about the sounds of combat in the streets below, or worse, stray energy blasts leveling parts of their houses! Everyone, it seemed, had a cause to celebrate.

"Ryoga, I thought about your offer and I was wondering if you would still like to come and help me run my shop in the afternoons after school. After hours, we could spend time alone together," Ukyo said, winking. "Quality time. You know, to get to know one another better."

Ryoga blushed. Ukyo was a romantic and adventurous girl but he took comfort in the fact that she, like himself, was a traditionalist. There was no pressure on either of them to have sex, especially so soon in their relationship. Both wanted to wait until their wedding nights, as was customary among many lovers even in the wild and turbulent century they lived in. Ukyo's definition of quality time was whispering sweet nothing and kissing, sharing their love through snuggling and hugs. That was perfectly fine by Ryoga who was still struggling to break his shyness barriers without initiating a massive nose bleed.

"I've actually been thinking about that, Ukyo. I realized that you go to school during the day. If you want, I'll come over in the morning and run the store for you then, when you get home, you can take over the cooking and I'll wait on tables."

"Ryoga!" Ukyo cried, dropping her fork. "I couldn't ask you to do that! You'd be there eight hours working alone not only waiting on tables but also doing the cooking! You're still healing and I don't want you to overwork yourself, sugar. Running a restaurant is hard work! Besides, you can't even cook okonomiyaki."

"Yes I can. Sometimes when I get lost, I spend weeks out in a jungle or forest and I have to either catch or make my own dinner. I always carry a small portable grill and a bag of dough in my backpack. Making okonomiyaki is easy! My mom taught me last year when I managed to find her for a day. She worked at an okonomiyaki restaurant as a teenager and learned how to make it nearly as good as you. And on top of that, I've watched you make it hundreds of times. You are exhausted working the hours you do. If you let me run it through the day you'll have move energy when you get home in the afternoon."

"But..."

"No buts, Ukyo. Just think of all the extra money you'll make."

That thought was appealing. She could hardly make ends meet sometimes, especially during the summer months when a lot of her regular customers went on vacation. More money would certainly help ease the current stress in her life. "Ok, Ryoga, you win. You can work the restaurant during the day."

Soun took a sip of tea and laughed, gently smacking his palm down on the table. "What an honorable young man. Rare qualities these days."

"Rare qualities, even among our elders," Genma muttered, looking over at Happosai.

"What was that, Genma?" Happosai countered, his eyes narrowing.

Ryoga grinned, enjoying his debate won victory. With a strong-willed girlfriend like Ukyo, any verbal victory was appreciated and hard won. He tore into his steak as fast as manners would allow savoring its rich taste.

"But, I will pay you and I won't take no for an answer!" Ukyo said, taking a sip from her drink "And I want you to move into Ucchan's. That way you don't have to walk across town and risk getting lost."

"Risk it!? He's guaranteed to!" Ranma roared with laughter.

Akane smacked him over the head again.

"But where will I sleep?" Ryoga asked.

"I have a guest bedroom next to my room. You can sleep there. It's already furnished with a bed and a nightstand. It's not much, but I didn't come from Osaka with much."

Ryoga scratched his head. "Ok. I guess that would work, I guess." He turned to the others who had been listening to the entire conversation with interest. "Is it ok with you guys if I leave?"

"Hey man, if it's what you want to do, it's ok by me," Ranma said, rubbing at the large bruise on his head. "I'll miss having you as a sparring partner in the mornings, but I'd rather see Ukyo being able to relax a little and stop being so tense all the time." After saying his part, Ranma returned to attacking the remaining scraps of food left on his plate before proceeding to try and steal from Genma's and Happosai's as well.

"We'll stop by and see you after school, Ryoga," Akane promised. "I think it's really sweet of you to offer to help Ukyo like this."

"Then it's settled!" Ukyo tried not to let her excitement show in her voice too much. Now she could spend more time alone with the man she loved and make more money to boot! Things were looking better than they had in a long time. "After dinner I'll help you pack your things up."

"We'll help too." Ranma volunteered, pointing to himself and Akane.

Everyone had been in high spirits since the party. The hostile and crazy antics of the years before had given way to a slightly more mature and closue knit group of friends. Many things had brought about the change. Taro, had been the chief reason but maturity had finally stepped in as well. As the various friends found attractions in one another, rivalries died, and new alliances were forged. Love triangle after love triangle faded, with the exception of the Kuno clan who were sure to remain a nuisance for years to come.

After dinner, Ryoga cleared off their table and helped Kasumi and Akane with the dishes. Once finished, they went to Ranma's room and packed his stuff back into his enormous backpack. It was about as deep as Mousse's kimono, so everything fit in with quite a bit of room to spare. How he managed to lug it around all the time without rest was just another question Ranma had never bothered to ask his rival turned friend.

"I'll carry this for you, Ryoga," Ukyo said, reaching towards his large umbrella. "I could never understand why you would want to use an umbrella as a weapon though."

"Why do you use a giant spatula?" He countered.

"Good comeback!" Ukyo grinned. Her hand closed around the handle and she tried to lift it off the ground. She jerked her hand upwards and nearly fell forward when the umbrella failed to rise off the ground.

"Ukyo, wait! That's ok, I'll carry that myself." Ryoga protested, reaching for his weapon.

"No way! You already have to carry that heavy pack." She grunted, and strained but the heavy object wouldn't budge. "Why is this thing so HEAVY?"

Ryoga gently removed her hand from his weapon. "It's specially made for me. It weighs over a ton but it's almost indestructible." He effortlessly lifted it up with one hand.

Ukyo eyes went wide. "Honey, I knew you were strong but I never knew you were _that _strong!"

"Ryoga's always been strong," Ranma said. "He always kept me on my toes. Yep, it's been great havin' him as a fighting partner. We've both come along ways in these two years."

"Your strong too, Ranma!" His fiancee' pointed out, as if his masculinity needed to be proven after all they'd been through. Touched he couldn't keep a smile off of his face.

"Besides," she added, "you can carry that thing just as easily."

Ranma shook his head. "It was really heavy though. I really couldn't do it for a prolonged amount of time, especially in my girl form. Seein' Ryoga handle it like he does makes me curious on how he got so strong to begin with."

"Don't know really," Ryoga replied. "But it sure comes in handy." He placed the umbrella in it's holding place on top of his bag and hoisted the mammoth backpack on his shoulders with no effort at all. "Ready to go?"

Ranma and Akane waved goodbye from the front doorstep as Ryoga and Ukyo walked hand-in-hand out into the night. It was a cloudless night, a comfortable evening to stand beneath the stars. A romantic night was the only way to describe the atmosphere.

"They really are a cute couple," Akane commented, her eyes shining with affection for her two friends as they disappeared into the soft evening.

"We can be to." Ranma said softly, eyeing the ground.

She smiled, shaking her head. "It still sounds so weird and out of place hearing you talk like this. Don't get me wrong, it's nice and I love it but if someone had told me you'd end up being like this a year ago, I would have thought they were crazy."

"Ranma chuckled. "Gotta grow up sometime I guess. Ya know, I'm still kinda' sad that Ryoga's leaving, but I guess it's for the best."

"Ranma?"

"Hmmm?" he turned his head to look at her.

"Don't you dare forget your promise tonight!"

He smiled. "I wouldn't do that for all the tea in China!"

Akane giggled. "Or all the Nannichuan either?"

He grinned wolfishly. "Now that's goin' a bit far."

* * *

Ryoga looked over at Ukyo as they walked down the empty streets. There wasn't anyone out, so everything obtained a certain empty feeling. The deserted streets were a welcomed sight since the population levels had been on the rise again as more and more people migrated into Nerima and other towns around the Shinjuku area. The solitude of the dark night was deeply refreshing to them both. Above them, a bat sailed by over the dark nighttime sky in search of a meal. Ukyo's eyes absent-mindedly followed its flight path.

"Hey, Ukyo, snap out of it. Your mind's out in space."

"Huh? Oh, sorry. I was just thinking about how you lifted that umbrella so easily. I've never seen someone so strong before." She watched him from the corner of her eye, judging his reaction.

"I never asked to be strong... though I never cursed having such power either. Please don't be scared because I've got the strength of a monster."

"Oh, I'm not scared!" She nuzzled up against him. "I think it's kinda' neat actually. Besides, I've always wanted a big strong man to protect me." She pinched his butt playfully, drawing a deep blush across his face. The comical expression soon gave way to a serious look. He took a deep breath then moved to stand in front of Ukyo, putting his hands on her shoulders.

"There's something else I have to get out in the open…" His voice was guarded, as if he had given away some secret he hadn't wanted to.

"And what might that be sugar?"

"Ranma and Mousse aren't the only ones who took a plunge in Jusenkyo. I… hate my curse and I hate talking about it... but I want to be an open book in your eyes."

Ukyo cocked her head. "Well, what do you change into?"

Ryoga sighed, looking miserable. "Watch."

He took his bag off his shoulders and pulled out a canteen of water from a side pouch. He looked down the street seeing that Ucchan's was close by. She could go get some hot water in no time. Mind made up, he looked up at her, unscrewed the top, and dumped the water onto himself, shivering as the cold liquid fell across his body. Ukyo just stood off to the side, observing.

The effects were almost instantaneous. He felt his form tingle all over as the curse took effect. It was a warm sensation that started in his toes and worked its way up to his head. Suddenly, everything seemed much larger and his voice came out in a series of squeal's and oinks. He looked up at Ukyo with sad, pathetic looking eyes, awaiting her reaction.

Ukyo gasped. "Ryoga! You are… are P-Chan?!"

Glumly, the little pig nodded his head, planting his trotters on the pavement and casting his eyes downward. _Yup this is me. Damn I'm pathetic._

"Oh, you poor baby! You had to put up with Ranma's teases and taunts all this time!" She picked him up in her arms and gave him a kiss on the forehead. Ryoga's eye's bulged. It was clearly a reaction he hadn't been counting on. She understood! Someone finally understood what he was going through and saw things from his point of view!

Ukyo tapped her cheek with one finger thoughtfully. "Still, if my fiancé was sleeping with a transformed person every night, I can't say I wouldn't be ticked off either."

His head drooped. So much for a good point of view…

Ukyo noticed this and cocked her head as if saying "what?".

Ryoga snorted and squealed, waving his hoofs around for emphasis. Couldn't she just try and see this his way? It had been the only way he could think of to spend time alone with Akane, what with Ranma always interfering.

"Oh, calm down will ya? I don't speak Pig-Latin." She flashed him a cheesy grin to take some of the tension out of the air. "Wait here. I'll go get some hot water and change you back." She set him down gently and ran down to her restaurant. She returned several moments later holding a brass tea kettle. She dumped the hot water on top of him and giggled as Ryoga dove for his clothes. She averted her eyes, blushing deeply as he threw on his boxers and pants. Once he had changed, he grabbed his stuff and they headed to Ukyo's house without further incident.

Unlocking the front door, she switched on the lights, illuminating the restaurant and the small kitchen beyond. She went and sat at a booth and motioned for him to join her. Ryoga shrugged off his pack a second time and sat across from her, instinctively taking her hands in his.

Ukyo hesitated a second before overwhelming curiosity got the better of her. "What's it like, Ryoga? To have a curse, I mean? Ranma never really talked about it, and he seemed slightly nervous when someone brought it up."

"It's certainly not fun," he growled, looking away in embarrassment. "It's just something I have to live with. But, at the same time, it's not something one can just get used to. Everywhere I go people think I'd make a nice meal or family pet. I've lost count on the number of times that I've been thrown into a pot of boiling water or chased after with a knife." He clenched his hand into a fist. "I hate it! I hate only being half a man, half a human being!"

Ukyo looked into his pain-filled eyes and felt her heart breaking. She placed her hand on his cheek and stroked it softly. "Oh, Ryoga. I don't care about your curse! I don't care if you turn into a pig either! Your fine the way you are. Please don't worry about it."

She stood up and embraced him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her until he got control of his emotions. His fist clenched and unclenched until his pain once again subsided, retracting back into the folds of his mind in temporary defeat.

"I'm ok now," he said, looking at her. "Thank you." The pain in his eyes had faded and it was replaced with his normal brown eyed features. He even flashed a toothy grin to emphasize the truth of his words.

She tussled his hair affectionately. "Anytime sugar."

He looked at her pretty face then leaned forward to kiss her. She reached out and wrapped her hands around his waist letting her lips meet his. For a moment, the two experienced a sensation of bliss, giving each other the love neither had previously known. Suddenly, Ukyo realized that there was still much to do before she got ready for school the next day. She broke the kiss with more than a little reluctance and patted him on the back. "Grab your things. I'll take you up to your new room."

Ryoga nodded, gathering hold of his senses as his heart beat fast within the confines of his chest. Grabbing his pack he followed her up the stairs, studying its design as he went. He realized at that moment that he had never even been in this part of her house before. The second story, from what he could tell, held three rooms: two bedrooms and a bathroom. The room closest to the stairs was the small guestroom. It wasn't heavily furnished but held a cozy feel to it all the same.

Ukyo stopped in the doorway and flipped on the lights. "Here's your room, sugar. I know it's not much but..."

"It's perfect." Ryoga dropped his stuff on the floor and looked around. The small room was completely barren except for a medium sized bed that ran along the far wall and an oak dresser with a mirror on top that sat in the far right corner. The room had a slightly stuff feel from disuse but other than that it fit his needs perfectly.

"This is great," he grinned. "It sure beats sleeping in a tent on a sleeping bag all the time!"

Ukyo smiled cutely. "You go ahead and unpack your stuff honey. When you're done, I'll show you were everything is in the kitchen and give you the low down."

"Ok." Ryoga lifted his bag up onto the bed and began unpacking things from it.

Ukyo went across hall to her room, her feet padding lightly on the cream wooden floor. Shutting the door behind her, she slipped off her clothes and put on her regular silk P.j.'s, marveling at how comfortable she felt. Her shoulders trembled with excitement and her heart beat rapidly in her chest as she brought her hand up to cover it, struggling to keep from jumping up and down in the air.

_He's here! He's actually here! The man I love is living under my roof! This is the greatest day of my life!_ A light blush touched her cheeks.

After unloading his bag, Ryoga put his clothes in the drawers and stuffed his unneeded camping equipment back in his bag and placed it under his bead. Taking a deep breath, he prepared to start a new page in his eventful life. This was the first time in over two years where he would be able to live in a family setting house as a man and not as a pig. He grinned again. Maybe someday, this house would hold scampering children created by himself and Ukyo...

"Stop that!" He scolded himself, bopping his head with his fist. "You're letting your emotions take control of you again! You just moved in! This is no time to fantasize about the future!"

Ukyo knocked on the open door. "You finished in here?" she asked.

Ryoga put his hand behind his head and laughed nervously. "Yep! Let's hit the kitchen!"

"Right this way." Taking him by the hand, Ukyo went back downstairs. Pulling open cabinets, she pointed inside, and told him where things were and how to use them. Once she was satisfied that he knew what he was doing, she supervised as he cooked some dishes off of her menu. She was more than a little surprised to see how good of a cook he could be when he concentrated. True, it wasn't as good as hers, but for a novice it was exceptional work. Time had flown by, she realized, looking at the clock. They had been downstairs for over an hour going over the kitchen alone! She quickly ran through techniques for dealing with costumers and any complaints they might have.

Ryoga took it all in, and when she quizzed him over what he had learned his knowledge proved to be sufficient to do the job. Satisfied, she called a halt for the night.

"Ok, Ryoga honey, we have to get up early in the morning so I suggest that you hit the shower then go to bed." She sniffed the air and noticed that it reeked of sweat. "Whew! Make sure you wash those armpits!" She giggled playfully, patting his back.

Grabbing a towel and a washcloth, the Lost Boy was led upstairs and to the bathroom. Shutting the door, he stripped off his clothes and turned on the shower. It felt nice to be able to shower every night again. Back before he and Ranma had made up, he'd sometimes go for a week or two without showering and even when he did get a chance, the water was always cold. Of course, that was usually in the deep forests so no one was around to see him change or smell his odor anyway.

He still couldn't believe that he was actually staying at Ukyo's house! Things were really looking up in his life. He reinforced this fact as the warm soothing water hit his skin. He sighed, enjoying the soothing water as it ran through his rich black hair._ I couldn't wait to take charge of the restaurant tomorrow! This'll be my chance to prove how capable I am to Ukyo._

He knew she would be happy when she saw all extra money her restaurant made. She'd be saving for a nice retirement in no time. That would eliminate much of her stress. A young girl, especially a school girl, shouldn't have to stress so much over that.

Ryoga quickly washed his body and his hair then shut off the water. He dried himself thoroughly then threw on a black tank top and yellow boxers. Sighing happily, he opened the bathroom door and went down to Ukyo's bedroom, shivering slightly as the cool air brushed past his skin.

"Goodnight, Ukyo," He called out, peeking his head into her room.

Ukyo looked up from the romance novel she was reading on her bed and smiled. She looked delightfully beautiful clad in those P.J.'s and her eyes were half closed as a desire to sleep lay siege on her mind. "It's nice to have a roommate again. Things have been kind of lonely since Konatsu left. Goodnight, Ryoga. Sleep well."

"You too." He shut her door and went back to his room, switching off the hallway light. He set the alarm clock beside the bed for 7:30 then switched off the light. He lay down on the bed and closed his eyes, eagerly waiting for the coming day.

* * *

Akane lay under her sheets clad in her usual yellow P.J.'s, just staring off into space. As the quietness pervaded the room it caused her mind to wander. A quick mental image of Ranma broken form lying on the ground in a pool of his own blood appeared in her mind. Taro's terrible laughter accompanied the image and her entire body stiffened as she closed her eyes tightly.

A timid knock came from her door, mercifully interrupting her unpleasant thought and rattling the duck nametag on the other side, causing it to swing back and forth on its hook.

"Come in," she called.

Ranma complied, opening the door. He was clad in a white tee shirt and yellow boxers. He stepped into the room. "Is it ok if I wear this?" He asked, gesturing to himself.

He felt ridiculous asking her that. She had seen him naked on more than one occasion, after all. His mind went back to their first, embarrassing meeting as girl and boy. Come to think of it, she had seemed to hold her gaze a bit longer than necessary when she first opened the bathroom door on him all that time ago...

"Sure." She patted the bed. "Come on."

Ranma shut her door and switched off the light. He timidly crawled into the bed next to her. He had a nervous look on his face. Akane could tell he had spent little if no time in close proximity with a woman before. She giggled softly, bringing a larger blush to his face. He looked so unbearably cute when he nervous. She knew Ranma hated being in an unfamiliar situation, especially with a girl. Such situations tended to highlight his insecurities. It was yet another part of growing up he had gotten no training in. Genma had set his son up for social failure.

"What's so funny?" Ranma asked, blushing furiously but trying to cover it up.

"Oh nothing." She wrapped his pigtail around her finger. He settled in next to her and wrapped his arms around her shoulder. Akane snuggled against his chest, feeling as safe and secure as a cat wrapped up in a warm blanket. Moreso, it was the perfect de-stressor after an exhausting day's training.

He looked down at her. "Why haven't you been sleeping well lately? Have you been having bad dreams?"

Akane nodded against him.

"What about?" he asked, pressing gently.

She sighed. "I keep dreaming about your fight with Pantyhose."

"But we won that fight."

Those terrible masked eyes flashed again in her memory and she gave an involuntary shudder.

"Not in my dream you didn't. Every night it's the same terrible thing. I see Taro killing you then I wake up crying."

Ranma just looked at her, unsure of how to handle the subject.

She shivered uncontrollably. "That fight must have done more damage to my nerves than I realized. I thought for sure I was going to lose you!" Her hands gripped his clothing. "But that's not the worst of it, Ranma! I get the terrible feeling that you're going to be placed in danger again!"

Ranma wrapped his arms more tightly around her. "Don't think about it, Akane. I'll be here holdin' you if you start having the dream again. That is all it is. We aren't going to be put in that kind of danger again. You'll see."

Akane looked at him, her eyes shone, wanting to believe him. But the frown on her lips showed she was not entirely convinced.

"Taro had been relentlessly evil and powerful but he lacked one thing needed to crush us completely; the moral support of friends and loved ones. When we realized that, we were unstoppable. That's why we lost the first match so easily and why we kept going beyond our limits the second time around. We weren't scared for our lives, we were scared for you and Ukyo, and our families. We were afraid of the pain he would cause you all in killin' us. It was unbearable."

Closing his mouth, he looked at her and the look on his face was stronger than any words. It was a promise of peace and security and comfort. It was the promise of a better future. Akane felt herself relaxing completely.

"Oh, Ranma." She kissed him deeply. It suddenly occurred to her that he wasn't nearly as self-centered and selfish as she had originally thought. Then again, she knew she could be pigheaded herself at times too. They had spent much of their engagement in anger towards one another. It was time to change things. The end of Taro's rampage was as good a time as any. They might still fight and argue but there was now an understanding and a bond of love to keep the two strong that no fight would ever break again.

Shifting to lie on his back, Ranma laid her against him, never removing his hands from her back. "Rest now." His proximity and his warmth did the trick. Gradually, Akane's shinning eyes grew heavy. She fell asleep with her head on his chest. He continued to hold her in his arms long into the night.


	4. Chapter 4: Possible Threats

Chapter 4: Possible Threats

Ranma was up earlier than usual the next morning. The sun had not yet risen but he felt full of energy and decided to go running to clear his mind. Taking a right down Nerima's main street, he picked up the pace into a fast sprint, calling on the vast strength of his legs. His recent intense training had increased in complexity so much that he had forgotten the simple joys of a cleansing run first thing in the morning with the soothing wind at his back.

During this time, his mind was working overtime thinking about his new life with Akane, his new power in martial arts, his new friends, and old times long gone. It never ceased to surprise him how fast things went in this town. Events seemed to pile on top of each other like stones in a Koi pond.

Tokyo began to wake up as light started to peak up over the horizon. As he ran first one mile and then a second he increased the stride, spreading his legs to gain greater momentum. He was far from the only early jogger out on the street but he was by far the youngest. With ease he weaved through the older joggers so as to not let their slower paces impact his rate of speed.

Stretching out with his senses he could feel the life within the concrete jungle start to blaze as the people woke up to go to work or school. With his senses so in tuned he felt the distortion ahead of time. The area ahead of him felt wrong and twisted.

Suddenly, he brought his right heel down, skidded to a halt and dropped into combat position. Up ahead in the shadows of several nearby trees, a set or red eyes watched him intently, wide and attentive. They were nightmarish eyes and they looked all the more unnerving given that was all the shadows would reveal.

"Who are you?! Come out!" Ranma barked, edging forward.

_"But that's not the worst of it, Ranma! I get the terrible feeling that you're going to be placed in danger again!"_

Akane's words repeated into his mind and Ranma tightened his stance. "Come out and face me!"

The red eyes shifted up and down and he could tell that it was laughing even though no sound could be heard. Then the mysterious form vanished, leaving nothing to track, not even the faintest of energy trails. On close inspection of the brush where the figure had been standing, the sufficiently unnerved boy found the green leaves had wilted and died in a matter of seconds. A further inspection of the setting revealed that the very branches of a nearby tree were ready to fall off even though the tree trunks still seemed in their prime.

Ranma processed the information and reached out with his senses again. It was no good. The danger had passed. The joggers he'd previously passed now moved around him, unaware of the event that had just occurred.

No longer interested in running, Ranma began to walk back home as a million thoughts raced through his mind. "Great, just great! If that isn't a bad omen then I don't know what is!"

* * *

Ryoga woke up to the annoying sound of the alarm clock, a sound he hadn't heard since he was in middle school. Switching it off, he hopped out of bed, full of energy and eager to begin his new duties. Reaching for the dresser, he slipped into a pair of fresh clothes and went down stairs to begin setting up the restaurant. He lacked an official restaurant uniform so he simply chose a matching black ensemble. It wasn't exactly professional or impressive, but seeing as he would be wearing an apron, a few days without more suitable threads probably wouldn't matter too much.

Whistling, he set out all the supplies that would be needed in the kitchen then went and equipped each table and booth with napkins, forks, and chopsticks. Once finished with the basic work prep, he searched the kitchen, checking out what she had in the way of food for self-consumption. Moving fast, he fixed a bowl of cereal for himself and another for Ukyo.

At that moment she came bounding down the stairs dressed in her regular boy's uniform, as that long trademark ponytail swayed cutely behind her. "Morning!" She smiled brightly; her slanted blue eyes scanned his up and down.

"Morning, Ukyo." Ryoga passed her the bowl of cereal. "Here you go."

"Thanks." She sat down beside him and crossed her blue trouser-clad legs. She took a bite of the cereal, chewing thoughtfully for a moment. "You really think you can do it all on your own?"

"Of course I can," He consumed a spoonful of cereal. "I'll do a great job! Just you watch!"

Ukyo finished off her cereal in rapid time. Even though she lived closer to Furinkan than Ranma and Akane she still found herself always having to haul butt to make it past the front gate on time. Half of the problem stemmed from Principle Kuno always trying to attack her for wearing the typical boy uniform to school every day. She never lost of course, but there had been a couple of times she'd nearly had to serve detention for almost being late.

"I know you will, Ryo-chan." She kissed his cheek. "I really appreciate everything you've done. I've got to get to school before I'm late. I'll be home this afternoon before ya know it." Grabbing her school bag and spatula, she headed for the door.

"Wait a sec." Ryoga walked up to her and straightened the slightly crooked white bow on her head. The close proximity got the blood rising to his cheeks and he took a step backwards, waving awkwardly. "There you go. Have a good day."

She walked out of the restaurant, placing the shop curtain in its holder as she left signaling that the restaurant was open for business. Stepping outside, Ryoga watched as she joined up with Ranma and Akane further up the road. He sighed as the three headed for eight hours of campus life, a life experience he had never really known. A part of him had always regretted the decision to end a school career and chase after Ranma. At the time it had been a matter of honor and he had been left with little choice. Now that he was a little older and a little wiser, he realized how foolish he had been after all.

_Ah well, no time for that, I have work to do!_ Picking up two spatulas, he went to grill and waited for his first customers.

* * *

Wraith looked down on the still sleepy city of Tokyo from a large hill. His black cape billowed in the wind like a living creature, snapping back and forth violently as if protesting the rising sun. His clawed fist clenched involuntary, drawing blood from his palm.

The city radiated with the power he'd long sought for. He could feel it! Tokyo was like a nexus of ki! Only martial artists could have auras as strong, just as he had predicted. At last, he had found it, the source strong enough to serve his purpose.

He'd searched and located other powerful sources of energy in the form of strong martial artists from around the world. The problem was that each source of power, while strong, was singular. He'd not had the patience, resources, or means to capture these hardened warriors one at a time.

He grinned evilly. The smile alone had the power to terrify all but the bravest of people.

This was different though. All the power he would ever need here at his disposal and conveniently in one place! Furthermore, the sources of power were teenagers and not adults. It was perfect!

The boy he had seen earlier was the main source of power. He'd confirmed it in person. Now it was time for the plan to be put into motion.

_"Soon we shall see, Ranma Saotome..." _He chuckled softly.

It was only a matter of time now.

Ryoga placed a customized okonomiyaki in front of an eager customer.

_ This is a bit more challenging that I'd thought it would be_. He tossed another on a waiting businessman's plate. He had made quite a profit from the lunch crowd alone. Ukyo would be happy.

_Speaking of which, she should be home soon_, Ryoga realized as he looked up at the clock. 3:30. When the last customer from the lunch rush had finished, he paid his bill and left with a nod of thanks. The store was now empty except for Ryoga and his cooking gear. A deep quietness settled in, the first one of the day.

Humming to himself, Ryoga cleaned the grill so it would be ready to use when Ukyo took over after school. It had to be cleaned regularly or it wouldn't function properly. He had learned that tidbit from his mother. The last thing Ukyo could afford was parts for a new grill.

The front door opened sounding the chime.

"Welcome to…oh, welcome home, Ukyo."

"Hiya sugar! How was your first day?" She leaned over the counter and gave him a charming smile rich enough to bring a blush to his cheeks.

"Profitable. I made a ton of yen from the lunch crowd alone!"

"I'm so proud of you Ryoga! We'll make a business man of you yet." She grinned again, the white bow on her head bobbing from the exaggerated motion.

"How was school today?" He asked.

"Pretty good. I got an A+ on a Math test today. Besides that, it was really a no-brainer. Hold on a sec, I'll go get changed then I'll take over for ya."

She disappeared up the stairs, padding up to her room, whistling a happy tune.

Ryoga studied her as she left shaking his head, slightly humored. _Still wearing that boys uniform._

He thought of the one time she had actually worn a girl's dress in a bid to get Ranma to notice her. She had done quite a job distracting him from pounding Ranma that time. He absentmindedly rubbed his chin. He had paid for his inattention that time around with a nasty blow.

_She looked so much cuter in a girl's outfit_. He decided at that moment to make it his personal goal to talk her into dressing more like a girl.

Ukyo bound back down the stairs wearing her regular cooking outfit. "Ok sugar, you go and relax for a while. I'll take over now." Her tone left no room for argument.

Cheerfully, she put on an apron and took over the grill grabbing a spatula and twirling it expertly in one hand. Ryoga pulled up a chair next to her.

"You even washed the grill for me! You're so sweet!" She continued to absentmindedly twirl one of her cooking utensils between her fingers.

The door chime rang and Ranma and Akane came in and sat down at the counter. "Yo Ryoga, how was your first day?" he asked his friend curiously. The enthusiasm behind the question left even gullible Ryoga knowing that the real reason for Ranma's visit and quick entrance was the chance of getting a free meal.

"Pretty good. I made a lot of money during the lunch crowd session. How was your day at school?"

Ranma struck a cool, care-free pose. "Heh, boring as usual. Nothin' big happened."

Akane bopped him on the head. "That's because you were _asleep_ most of the day! If you would just get a decent night's sleep you wouldn't have that problem."

Ranma got in her face. "If it wasn't for Happosai's nightly perversity and grabbing at me, I might actually sleep well!"

"That's not my problem!" Akane retorted.

The argument stretched on. Ukyo sighed and whipped up two orders, tossing them onto the plates in front of the bickering teens, effectively shutting them up.

"To make a long story short, there was one thing that happened today," Ranma remarked. "Right as school got out, I felt a tremendous aura nearby. It felt even stronger n' Taro's... if that's possible. I think someone was observing me both before and during school. The aura seemed to get closer when I had my daily fight with Kuno. It was almost like it was studin' my moves or something."

Ryoga sat forward in his chair, folding his hands under his nose. This was interesting news indeed and not of the good variety. "You don't think it was Taro again do you?"

Ranma shook his head. "I think we've seen the last of Taro. It was plain to see his spirit was broken. Not to mention that after losing that badly it would be foolish of him to try fighting us again."

"Besides," Akane pointed out, "how do you even know that this person is a threat? It may just be a person who was drawn to watch when you fought Kuno. I mean, itis the highlight of every student's day."

Ranma shook his head, recalling those hellish eyes. "It wasn't just then, Akane. It was all day. But I haven't told you all of it. The aura felt kind of like Taro's yet... different, and much more powerful. It was a different kind of aura, twisted and limitless is the best words I can think of to describe it. It didn't feel like the kind an Oriental martial artist would have. It was powerful but sick, like a disease."

His words faltered off and he stared down at the table, clearly frustrated at his inability to describe his feelings completely. Royga looked at Ranma's plate and saw the uneaten food sitting there. His eyes widened slightly.

"Well, the answer is obvious," Ukyo said, pointing at him with one of her mini spatulas. "The person watching you wasn't oriental. Maybe he was American or something."

"Well, whatever he is, there's only one thing we can do. We wait and see if it makes any moves. If we're lucky, it's just a traveler here as a tourist. If he's a threat and it's us he's after he'll make a move eventually," Ryoga said, folding his arms. "It's just a waiting game."

Several customers entered, forcing an abrupt ending to the group's discussion. Akane and Ranma said goodbye, leaving Ukyo and Ryoga to attend to the hungry people. As they walked home, Ranma placed his hands in his pockets and shivered visibly. Akane noticed and looped her arm around his.

"A yen for your thoughts?"

"I'm really hopin' this turns out to be a tourist and not another opponent. After Taro…. I-I'm not ready to face another nightmare so soon. Actually, I'd be more than happy to never have to face another major foe ever again. I've been through enough of that to last a million lifetimes."

She flashed him a hopeful smile. "I'm sure it's nothing. Don't be such a worry-wart! Anyone who'd pick a fight with the boy who beat Taro is out of his mind."

Ranma sighed. All the confidence he'd showered her with the previous night was gone. "I hope your right. But something tells me the nightmare is just startin'…"


	5. Chapter 5: Unseen Plans

Chapter 5: Unseen Plans

Ukyo woke up as someone gently shook her shoulder. Groaning, she opened her eyes and saw Ryoga smiling down at her. She frowned; no one should be that cheerful first thing in the morning. Brushing the hair from her face, she yawned and fixed him with an annoyed look.

"What are you doing Ryoga? I don't have to get up for another half hour."

She yawned again, wiping the sleep from her eyes, attempting to roll over and go back to sleep..

"It's time," He said simply.

"Time? Time for what?!"

"To train you of course. Grab your spatula and meet me out back in five minutes." He walked out of the room.

_What on earth is that boy up to?_ Ukyo had more than half a mind to just go back to sleep. However she knew how persistent Ryoga could be. Sighing, she dressed in her boy's school uniform and tied a red bow in her pretty brown hair. Grabbing her 'Super Spatula', she ran out back into the small barren field. Ryoga was already there, leaning on his umbrella.

"What's going on Ryoga?"

"I've been thinking. Ranma's training Akane with ki right? I think it is high time I started trained you as well. Eventually, I'll help you create an attack of your own. But in order to do that you have to be in superb physical shape so you can handle the strain of converting energy. Come on, attack me. I want to see how well you fight with your spatula."

Ukyo was still a bit sleepy from being awoken so suddenly and it took her a minute to realize what he wanted to do. What won her over was that even after working so hard for her and the restaurant he had awoken early to train her. Touched more than she was annoyed, she nodded her head.

"Ok." She gripped her spatula tightly.

"Attack me."

She swung her weapon with blinding speed only to have it connected with Ryoga's umbrella at midlevel stroke. She noticed in annoyance that he held the handle loosely with only one hand. Backing up, Ukyo thrust her spatula at his chest. He swung his arm in a downward arch, forcing her weapon to the side and putting himself out of danger. She raised her arms and tried to bring the cooking tool down on his head but Ryoga parried yet again.

She swung again sideways with all her power, trying the wrench the weapon from his hands. He staggered backwards, finally gripping his umbrella tightly in his right hand. He blocked two more calculated thrusts, scarcely believing the strength she had in her thin arms.

_Time to up the difficulty level. _Ryoga dodged another powerful swing then went on the offensive. He swung his umbrella in rapid sessions, aiming for her sides and face. Soon, nothing could be seen but a series of red flashes as his umbrella swung faster than normal eyes could follow. She hastily blocked the blows. Sweat flew from her brow onto the soft morning grass as she gave ground.

Her eyes widened. _He's good!_

She sidestepped another strike. Crying out, she swung her spatula again, aiming for his head. Grinning, Ryoga swung in an upward arch with all his might, and knocked the spatula from her hands. He tapped the end of his weapon on her nose. "Gotcha."

Giggling, Ukyo swatted the umbrella away. "Whew! That was some workout! I never knew you were so strong with that thing!"

"You are pretty good with that spatula yourself. Tomorrow I'm going to teach you how to fight in unarmed combat. We'll see what happens from there. You go better take a shower; I don't want you to be late for school."

"Thanks a lot, Ryoga honey." Retrieving her weapon, she ran off upstairs. Still smiling, Ryoga went into the house and began setting up the tables in the diner for the morning crowd.

* * *

The day went by smoothly. Ryoga made a booming profit again, working nonstop until Ukyo came home. At this rate she'd have the restaurant paid for and the beginnings of a nest egg in no time flat. Since it was in operation most of the day, her income tripled itself almost immediately.

She counted up the Yen after school in amazement. "Ryoga, I don't know what to say...I'm… I'm shocked!"

The Lost Boy collapsed in a chair wearily. "Nothing to it. But it sure is tiring. I give you a lot of credit running it all by yourself all that time. Do you mind taking over? I need a shower and a nap."

"Go ahead sugar."

Wearily, Ryoga trudged up the stairs and threw off his clothes. He took a quick shower then dressed in a clean tank top and boxers. Walking back to his room, he laid his head on the pillow and fell into a deep dreamless sleep.

Later that afternoon, Ukyo covered Ryoga's still form with a quilt, smiling broadly. She had just finished serving the last of the lunch crowd and he was still asleep. He was so cute lying there, so defenseless and innocent looking. One fang stuck out of his mouth as he breathed. She silently removed his wallet from his discarded pants and placed a portion of his earnings in the billfold then returned it to its proper place. Tiptoeing out of the room, she silently closed his door.

She still couldn't believe how much money Ryoga had been making. If things kept up this way she would have more than enough to pay the month's bills at just the halfway point of the month. Usually she had to really push it just to cover the bills each month. Humming happily, She quickly set up the restaurant for the dinner crowd. The job seemed so much easier now that she had Ryoga helping her. Everything was going so perfectly she could scarcely believe it.

* * *

The next morning Ryoga again wakened Ukyo.

"Training?" She asked, sitting up in bed and stretching her lithe form. Ryoga nodded. He was already dressed in his usual clothes and his hair was still slightly damp. Ukyo guessed that he had been up for some time, probably lost from wandering around the house. Well, he had gotten more than his needed dose of sleep the day before judging from the almost sickening morning time cheerfulness he displayed.

"Scoot, I'll be out back in a few minutes." Pushing him out of her room, Ukyo dressed in her regular outfit though this time she didn't put a bow in her hair. Grabbing her favorite weapon, she walked down stairs and outside to the patiently waiting Ryoga.

"Ok, as I told you before, I'm going to train you in unarmed combat. As a martial artist it is important for you to learn how. Caught without a weapon you'd be a far more vulnerable target. Toss your spatula aside, you won't need it."

Ukyo tossed the spatula onto the grass a few feet away, feeling a bit vulnerable without it.

"Ok, first, copy my stance." Ryoga dropped into combat position. His hands were in front of his body bent at the elbow. His legs were spread shoulder width apart and bent slightly at the knee. Ukyo copied as best she could.

"From this position you can switch to either an offensive attack or defensive mode with relative ease. I'm going to perform several slow practice punches. Watch carefully because you're going to repeat everything I do. From this day forth you are my shadow."

He balled his right hand into a fist and threw three slow chest level punches in a fluid motion. Ryoga then gave her a signal and she tried her best to do as he did. She jabbed at the air three times then pulled back into a combat stance. She performed them perfectly and Ryoga nodded in approval.

"Good, that was the most basic first level attack. Now we'll try a few slow kicks. Watch carefully." He raised his leg and kicked outward once then brought his foot back and kicked out again as slowly as he could hoping she could memorize everything he did. "Your turn."

Ukyo raised her right leg and wobbled unsteadily. She waited until she was in control of her balance then kicked outward at waist level.

"A little higher. Lean back slightly."

Ukyo did the corrections then kicked out again, higher this time, about stomach level. Ryoga guided her, helping her improve her balance and overall performance.

"Good job, Ukyo! I can see you're a fast learner. Now, I want you to put more power behind your punches. Throw then as fast and as strong as you can. Do it as much as you can but don't over exert yourself. The last thing we need right now is a pulled muscle."

The Spatula Queen once again dropped into combat stance and focused her strength into her arms. Grunting, she cut into the air with her fists. There wasn't much power but she made up for it with fluidness and speed. Her arms soon tired from the exercise and she dropped them to her sides, gasping with exertion. She simply wasn't used to this sort of training. Her arms, like Akane and Shampoo, were skinny but Ryoga saw the potential of power in her biceps and shoulders.

_She could easily become as strong as Shampoo. All I have to do is help her unlock that strength potential of hers._ "Ok, very good, Ukyo. Now try the same thing with your legs."

Ukyo kicked her leg out forward rapidly but like her arms, she lacked the strength to put much force behind them. She soon tired and fell to her knee's gasping, sweat trickling down her face. The lost boy helped her to her feet.

"How did I do teach'?" she asked

"You have the precision and the fluidness but you lack the strength to make your attacks effective."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that we're going to start going on morning and after evening jogs to strengthen your legs and do push-ups to strengthen your arms." He gave her a playful pat on the shoulder. Ukyo groaned, dropping her knees.

"Hey, don't complain. I'll be doing the same things you are. The sooner you learn how to fight in unarmed combat, the sooner I can teach you how to use chi."

"Ok." Ukyo was clearly far from happy. "When do we start 'pumping me up?'" Her voice sounded mysteriously like a Austrian actor who lived in America. Ryoga couldn't think of the man's name so the joke was lost to him.

"Tonight. After we close up the restaurant we'll go jogging. Then, we'll come back and do several pushups and sit-ups. We'll start out nice and slow and gradually increase the sessions over the next few weeks."

"Woopie."

Ryoga chuckled. "You'll thank me for this someday. Training can be fun, you'll see. You don't know how lucky you really are. I had to train by myself in the woods most of the time. It was pretty lonely with no one around to talk to. At least you'll have me to keep you company. Besides, you've had formal training when you visited that monk up in the mountains remember?"

He looked down at his watch. "Go freshen up. You got school today."

Ukyo nodded, patting him lightly on the shoulder as she passed him. Ryoga leaned up against his umbrella, thinking hard with his warrior mentality. Ukyo's untapped power level was incredibly strong and held a lot of potential. Now if only he could help her tap into it...

He sighed, knowing it wasn't going to be easy. Ukyo was his first student and he was playing it mostly by ear. Best to just train her the same way he had trained himself so he wouldn't screw up. She could take the hard training, she was strong and determined. Living on her own for so long had made her tough. Brushing himself off, he walked into the restaurant to prepare for another day.

* * *

Zero and Wraith stood atop a building nearby Ucchan's restaurant watching Ukyo and Ryoga finish their exercises. Zero, who was closest to the ledge and observing the teens, was dressed in a bright white tank top shirt. His chest and arms bulged with taunt muscles and power. He wore a pair of baggy black pants that rustled in the morning's early breeze. His brown hair was combed straight back where the bottom fell into a long braided ponytail that twirled in the wind.

He grinned broadly as he watched the two teenagers train. They were to be his prey, and he watched them as an eagle does a mouse from atop a mountain, estimating their worth.

"These are the sources of power, master? The ones you saw in your vision? These... children!?" Zero scoffed, turning around. "They are strong, but I've seen more power in American UFC fighters."

The building continued up another story above them, commanding a great view of the greater Tokyo area. The other person, his lord, stood in a darkened area near the stairs a floor above, hiding from the intrusive sun. A cape hung behind him, snapping to the side as a gust of wind caught hold of it. The mysterious man smiled, leaning up against a concrete pillar. The shadows covered him just as they always did, making it impossible to clearly see any features.

"_Yes. Don't look like much, do they? Be warned, they are stronger than you give them credit for, my dear assistant. The Intel I received says they beat the living crap out of a powerful Chinese warrior a few months back. All I can tell is that their energy readings go beyond anything else I've ever felt before in Europe. Don't underestimate them, Zero. And don't go drawing them out for combat just yet! We'll need them all together for this plan to work. Remember, our timetable is severely limited."_

"Yes lord, it shall be as you say." Zero half bowed in respect.

He knew the plan, but the waiting was almost unbearable! He had never been one for patience when a battle was so near. The ancient warrior's blood that flowed through his veins called for battle. He was known as North America's strongest public martial artist, a "slayer of the strong". He had won countless victories but the weakness of his opponents and the trivial nature of the contests quickly bored him. None of his opponents were getting any stronger! He beat them all in the same fashion and without even working up a serious sweat. Frustrated, he searched for new challenges and opportunities to fight and kill with his considerable skill.

At about that time, he had heard vague rumors of stronger opponents in Japan but hadn't the time to see if they were true. It was then that he was taken under the wing of his master who promised to lead him to more "fertile" fighting grounds in exchange for help with his project. Now with his targets so close, he yearned to engage in combat, trying the fruits of his training on some new, possibly more skilled martial artists.

His master's blazing red eyes stared deep into him, as if inspecting his very soul. _"Keep a vigilant watch and wait for an opportunity to strike when they are most vulnerable. Do not provoke battle or do anything to give away our cover. Approach them if you wish, but only for information gathering. I won't be far behind." _

Zero bowed again, his bowed face hiding a look of strained frustration. "Yes, my master."

_ "Don't fail me, Zero." _With that, the mysterious man vanished, leaving the bewildered Zero to his mission.

* * *

"Come on, Ukyo, pick up the pace," Ryoga called behind to his lagging companion. After closing the restaurant for the evening, he forced her to start her new training despite a volley of complaints. She proved to be fast on her feet, but only at short distances. Now she was lagging farther and farther behind.

"That's easy for you to say," She gasped. "I don't walk around the country on foot all the time like you do. You're used to all this running!"

Ryoga slowed to a light jog and fell back beside her. "Stop whining. No pain no gain right?"

He dodged a swipe from her fist. "Just wait Ryoga! I'm going to pound you one of these days."

"So grumpy! Don't you feel your legs getting stronger? Girls like having strong, sexy legs don't they?"

"Hey, what ever happened to your shy side?" She shot back, blushingly slightly.

His eyes went wide. "Say, now that you mention it, I do seem a bit less shy don't I? You've changed me more than I realized." He'd have to think more on this later.

They took a left turn down the town's main street and headed into the community park. The sun was slowly sinking, causing the sky to illuminate in a fantastic red shade. It was just one of the many beauties Tokyo in spring had to offer.

"Pretty... isn't... it?" Ukyo commented, sucking in shorts breaths of air.

"Sure is." Ryoga stared at the sky as he ran. _Wonder why I never noticed how pretty nature is before?_

Ryoga knew that Mother Earth didn't get along with him very well. He was a gold mine for dark, depressive ki, the destroyer and disrupter of nature and balanced forces. But that didn't mean he didn't love nature, He just didn't take the time to notice because he was usually so engrossed with trying to find his way.

His eyes tightened with determination. He was going to be very sure to properly train Ukyo and not make the same mistakes he had made when training himself. He'd never trained anyone else before so it wasn't as if he had a lot of experience. Still, even a novice teacher could quickly pick up what a student absolutely could and couldn't do. With her overly cheerful disposition, Ukyo couldn't hope to learn a negative energy attack if her life depended on it. They'd have to come up with something else.

"Let's head back, Ukyo. You've got some arm strength training to do."

Ukyo groaned. "Honey, I'm not sure I can do all this training stuff. I feel like I'm going to pass out."

Ryoga grinned. She was exactly how he had been so many years ago. "It'll pass. When you're in better shape you won't even feel that anymore."

"I am in shape! I'm not ever going be as fast as Ran-chan or as strong as you so what's the point?"

"The point is to make you stronger than you've ever been. Plus, when you're in better shape you won't feel as tired in the afternoon after school. I would never be able to handle your restaurant if I wasn't in the shape I am."

Ukyo thought about this as they reached her home. It was a pain in the neck, but if it gave her more energy she was all for it. With the run completed, she collapsed to her knees in the small backyard while Ryoga merely leaned up against his umbrella, not even breathing hard. He was also trying hard not to grin.

"Oh, shut up you showoff! Just you wait, one of these days I'll be the one laughing at you."

Ryoga patted her on the back. "That's the spirit! There's your goal. The day you can out run me is the day your major training will end."

Ukyo nodded. To her, that goal seemed impossible. But there was no harm in trying. She didn't have anything to lose.

"Ok, Ukyo, you've rested enough. I want twenty good pushups. A warrior without endurance is just a failed product. Repetitions of pushups will help your endurance to skyrocket."

Ukyo's face lit up. "Hey that's easy!" She got down on her hands. Her shirt sagged slightly. "Don't ya' go looking up my shirt now!"

"I-I would never…"Ryoga blushed beat red and rigidly moved to her side, out of peeking range. His posture softened up a bit as she chuckled, showing that the remark was not to be taken too seriously.

He cleared his throat. "Ok, begin."

Ten seconds later Ukyo was finished and grinning broadly. It really came as no surprise to Ryoga since she did weld a huge metal spatula.

"That was great, Ukyo! Your arms are stronger than I thought."

Ukyo's grin widened. "I took gym class last semester."

"In that case, do fifteen more."

Ukyo's smile fell. "Ryo-chan, that's not fair!"

"Just hurry up and do them. Then you can go rest!"

With a fair amount of grunting and sweating Ukyo finished, her arms feeling like Jell-O. She stood up, rubbing her aching upper arms wincing as she turned her neck. Ryoga noticed this too. He held the cure as he came up behind her.

"Sit down," he commanded.

"Awwww, no more push-up's please! I'm exhausted."

"I'm not going to make you do more pushups. Just do it." His voice was soft and commanding at the same time. Ukyo complied. Stepping behind her, Ryoga placed his large hands on her shoulders and began massaging them. Ukyo hissed as his hands that could crush boulders expertly and tenderly worked over her sore muscles.

"Oh, man. I didn't know I was so sore!" The feeling of his hands playing across her back aroused her senses. She did her best to memorize the feel of his hands as she slipped into nirvana. A slight blush appeared across the bridge of her nose as his skin pressed into hers. Ryoga, none the wiser to the fact that he was turning her on, applied just a bit more pressure and continued rubbing, working out pinch nerves whenever he came across one.

"Oh, Ryoga! When did you learn how to massage so well!? You're like a professional!"

His hands worked across her back, attending to muscles that he knew from experience would be sore as hell tomorrow. To ease the recovery of her body he worked expertly on her shoulders and between her shoulder blades. He couldn't help but feel the lack of a bra and he blushed, recalling that Ukyo preferred to bind her chest with cloth. Ranma had given him an eyeful the first time he and Ukyo had met.

The young warrior chef groaned, loving every second of his strong fingers. Once she was totally relaxed and kink free, Ryoga gently picked her up and carried her up to her bedroom, enduring only half-hearted protests while doing so. He placed her on her soft bed and gently planted a kiss on her forehead.

"Thanks, Ryoga honey. I appreciate it." Hey eyes were heavy with exhaustion.

Ryoga sat her on the bed. "You trained hard today, Ukyo. As you continue to train you'll grow used to it. Sleep well. I'll get you up tomorrow."

Ukyo quickly took a shower then fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. As her body stored up energy and recovered for the coming day, her breath fell to a slow and even pace as her consciousness slipped further and further into dreamland.

Sitting down on his bed, Ryoga took in the stillness of the restaurant and apartment. The only sound that reached his ears was the sound of the wall clock downstairs in the kitchen. With a pen and paper in hand he began to create a weekly workout routine for Ukyo as well as plan out the various phases for her training. Abruptly a sharp pain shot out along his side and he dropped the pen, using the now free hand to rub at the scar on his side. It still bothered him from time to time and he couldn't help but think about the horrible evening in which he'd been injured.

He still wanted to know who was responsible. While they were both still in the hospital, Ranma had informed Ryoga of the Shadow Warrior's proclaimed innocence. Ryoga agreed that Taro had absolutely nothing to gain by hiding it and that his claim to be innocent of that particular event was worth believing. This had led to a conversation where the two had compared ideas and theories as to possible guilty parties but in the end neither knew exactly who or what had decided to take advantage of Ukyo's pain.

The most unnerving part of the entire situation was that the culprit, whoever he or she was, was still at large.

This was what had spawned Ryoga's idea to train her. It wasn't just to make her a stronger girl but rather to help her protect her body and mind should such a situation ever take place again. The responsibility for training her fell in his shoulders and Ryoga pondered on ideas and strategies long into the night.

* * *

The days were starting to become repetitive. Ryoga soon set himself in a daily routine looking after the many customers that visited Ucchan's. A week had passed and Ryoga had fully adjusted to the challenges of the job. The strength of his original plan was that she could attend school while he made her restaurant money. However this was also the flaw as well because he rarely had time to spend time alone with her.

This got him thinking and a bright blush spread across his face. He knew she liked him and he knew how crazy he felt for her, but what exactly were they to each other? He pondered his a moment, staring off into space as hot steam from the grill caused his face to sweat. She'd come up with cute nicknames for him and they got along famously but he wasn't exactly sure if they were just good friends and roommates or if they'd past into another relationship level without him realizing it.

The Lost Boy hung his head, giving a frustrated sigh. _This would be so much easier to sort out of it I had any experience at dating what so ever. I'll have to talk to her about this later._

The door chimes rang and a customer came and sat down near the grill, interrupting his thoughts. Ryoga quickly composed himself, readied his cooking tools. "Hello. Welcome to Ucchan's Okonomiyaki. How may I help you?"

"You got one with pork?" The man asked in passable Japanese. The tone sounded American and from the looks of the large man's build, he looked like a martial artist himself. Ryoga noticed he had black martial arts shoes like the type he and Ranma wore.

The man ran a hand through his slicked back black, shoulder-length hair as he moved to sit down. Performing a standard once over, Ryoga concluded that he didn't exactly look or dress like a tourist, so his reasons for being in Japan were probably related to something else Most peculiar of all was a large, discolored "O" shaped scar that seemed to hang underneath his right eye.

"Coming right up sir." Ryoga set to work trying to keep his feelings of pork from his mind. He delivered a piping hot plate of pork okonomiyaki in short order.

"So," the man said blowing on a piece of his food then biting down on it. "You're a martial artist too, eh?"

Ryoga was shocked. "How did you know that?"

"Are you kidding! You're Ryoga Hibiki! Everyone knows about you in America. You're practically an idol!"

"R-really? They really know about me over there?" Ryoga felt his ego inflate with each word. Maybe he was as popular as Ranma after all. _Wait till he hears about this!_

Part of his mind wanted to scream that such a thing was impossible but the other half, the half of him that always wanted to be popular and liked reasoned, not entirely inaccurately, that he had been through America several times in recent years while getting lost on one training trip or another.

Zero saw on the youth's face that the over the top compliment was being disputed in the kid's mind and spoke up quickly to distract him from further thought. He coughed once and sat down in front of Ryoga, offering a hand.

"You bet! The names Michael Creed, nice to meet you. I came to Japan to take in the sights and meet some fellow fighters! I heard you were the best and I just had to meet you in person."

Zero smiled inwardly but even Ryoga saw there was something almost predatory about it. "Maybe we can have a sparring match sometime?"

Ryoga, with his charming yet foolish gullible nature was not utterly convinced that what this man said was the truth. He gushed at his temporary claim to fame. Zero hid the smile on his face by putting a hand to his lips. He realized just how easy the assignment had become.

After vexing week of trying to observe these kids he'd learned to place each day in one of two categories: mundane or chaotic. Wraith spent most of his time hiding away in seclusion and Zero had been forced to play the role of observer and spy, neither of which he was good at. Deciding to talk to Ryoga he'd been dreading the conman approach but now he saw just how easy it would be. It was all he could to not kick himself for not having tried this approach earlier.

"So, you must be the best in the city at least, right?"

"Well, one of the best anyway. Ranma's... pretty good too." Ryoga had a hard time forcing the sentence out.

"Are your other friends as strong as you and Ranma? You know, do they admit as much battle aura as you?" Zero probed.

"Well, some more than others... but, we're all pretty good at it."

"That's great to hear. Don't get many ki-based fighters in America. Crying shame I say.

"Where are you from in America?"

Zero hadn't been prepared for the conversation to be redirected back at him and as such had no false story in place. The alias Michael Creed had just been one he'd thought up on the fly. Thinking for a second he decided that giving the truth couldn't hurt the situation or Wraith's plans.

"Oklahoma, but I traveled and trained through a lot of the western states. I grew up on a reservation."

"That's cool!" Ryoga remember a little bit of geography from middle school. Parts of America he'd seen had been quite barren indeed.

Zero gave a pained smile. The kid probably didn't even know what a reservation was.

"How long you've been a martial artist?"

"About twenty years now. I realized I had a talent and I went pro."

Ryoga's entheusasim for the martial arts bubbled over to almost fan boy status. "That's awesome! I bet you've had quite a successful life."

A shadow crossed over Zero's face but he maintained that smile. "Yeah. Successful."

With the nerve hit the conversation was taking a turn towards memories best left alone. With all the subtlety of a rhino in a china shop, Zero redirected the conversation. Anyone else would have been suspicious but this Ryoga Hibiki was clearly a special kind of gullible. He shot the breeze with the chef a few minutes more until several more customers came in. Spying his chance to leave at last he took it. He had some tidbits of information. That was a start.

Smiling with heavily faked cheerfulness, he paid his bill, leaving behind a very generous tip. "Have a good one, kid."

"Hey, thanks a lot Michael," Ryoga called over as he restarted the grill. "I'd love to hear what it's like in Oklahoma sometime. I hope I see you again before you go home."

Zero turned around, grinning broadly. "Oh, you will kid. Trust me, you will."


	6. Chapter 6: Akane Comes into Her Own

Chapter 6: Akane Comes Into Her Own

Sunday rolled around again. It was a peaceful Sunday morning. The birds were chirping loudly, nestled snuggly in on the Tendo Dojo's tiled roof. Genma sat in the backyard, deep in meditation, Happosai was ironing a set of new panties he had gotten the previous night, Nabiki was watching the stock market report on TV while calculating her wins, Soun was silently reading the afternoon paper, and Kasumi was out shopping for dinner.

A sense of peace filled the air, one that felt right and natural. It was a soothing sensation.

One could call it a perfect day in every sense of the world.

"HIYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

The left wall of the dojo exploded as a huge beam of power slammed its way through like shopping women through a crowd in a mall on Christmas. Genma and Soun were up in a heartbeat, crying out and running to the dojo. Their first thought was that perhaps the Shadow Warrior might have returned. Soun realized Akane was with Ranma in the dojo. Fear for his daughter's life shifted him into high gear and he barreled out to the dojo at supersonic speeds.

"Ranma! Akane! Are you two all right?! What on earth is...!?" Soun yelled, busting through the door.

He stopped in mid-sentence once he came into view of the sight before him. Akane stood with her back to him, fist outstretched, blue energy licking across her form like flames over wood. Ranma stood smiling to the side, nodding his head in approval. It dawned on Soun that the massive discharge of energy he had seen hadn't come from Ranma at all.

"Akane, wha... what was that!?" Genma asked, near speechlessly.

"That, Mr. Saotome, was the Fire Strike Beam. My first special attack." She turned around grinning broadly allowing the cloud of energy to disappear like rolling fog. Soun embraced her in a bear hug, crying out a storm from his eyes. If had been allowed to continue, he would have surely flooded the dojo in no time.

"My little girl is becoming such a strong martial artist!" His performance would have put a broken water pipe to shame. Akane took a moment to comfort him, calming his excited nerves. She was more than a little relieved that he wasn't furious over having a quarter of the dojo blown away.

"She did it perfectly the first time, Mr. Tendo," Ranma said. "Her move will get stronger and stronger the more she uses it. It's a concentrated attack used for piercing so it sacrifices flexibility in exchange for power. Basically, it is perfectly suited for Akane."

Distracted, Soun wiped his eyes and turned to the boy. "How exactly does it work?

"Well, right now it's just a raw shot of power. Eventually, we are going to refine it. The idea is to target joints and nerves and other vulnerable stuff. Kind of like an energy form of Ryoga's rock shattering attack except this will work on the human body. With a _lot _of training, Akane will learn to control her ability to that extent. At that point she'll be able to harness the move to do anything from deliver a nasty stun, to temporary numbness or even to…"

Soun fixed him with a steady gaze as Ranma's words died off.

"Or even to cripple a person," Akane supplied sullenly.

"Son," Soun whispered hoarsely. "That's very dangerous."

He wasn't just talking about ruining someone's life in the middle of a sparring match either. Akane had a horrible temper and helping her to create an attack that strong was like giving a lighter to a pyromaniac.

"It would be for a worst case scenario," Ranma responded quickly. "In case Taro shows up to try to kill us again or something like that. Akane and I have already talked about it and she acknowledges that to wield that kind of power will require more patience than she has right now. So we'll take it slow. Don't worry."

Mollified, Soun and Genma breathed a sigh of relief. If Akane was aware of her own current limitations and was ok with the arrangement then that was another matter entirely. Plus having the extra security and firepower wouldn't hurt.

Genma placed his hand on Ranma's shoulder, his posture radiating pride. "That's m' boy! Good job, Ranma! You make your father proud. I can see that the Anything Goes School will only strengthen in the years to come."

Ranma brushed off the praise. "Ain't nothin' pop. Just helping' my fiancée get stronger is all. Like I said, we'll need the firepower case anymore nuts like Taro come around. The more energy we can throw at an attacker, the harder it will be to touch us."

He turned and smiled at Akane. "You did perfectly, Akane. But remember, the less you practice the weaker it could become. Three times a week is the minimum setting for you until you master it. There's an empty lot down the block we can use to practice. No sense in blowing out the dojo in the name of training."

Soun was in complete agreement with that statement and nodded his head vigorously, praising what little situational awareness Ranma possessed. The gaping hole in the roof of the dojo made him want to cry again but he reasoned it was a small price to pay in exchange for the furthering of his daughter's martial arts career.

Akane was still overcome with a huge rush of adrenaline and merely nodded at his instructions, pleased that she finally had an edge over Shampoo and Kodachi. She was no longer a pushover, no longer the same old weak Akane! It was shaping up to be a perfect day for her. She wanted to share her joy with the entire household! Maybe she'd cook dinner to celebrate the occasion...

* * *

Zero marched down the hallway of the hotel with single-minded purpose. Wraith had finally called for him and it came as little surprise that the German lord was holed up in the most expensive hotel in Tokyo and in the top floor's penthouse suite at that. He was irritated and his walk showed it. His muscular frame almost bowled over two room cleaning attendants who didn't get out of his way in time.

The fact that Wraith was in seclusion wasn't the irritating part. The lord was sick with whatever disease he had and the journey had taxed his strength further still. What irritated Zero was that the lord was relaxing in sheer luxury while he was left to fend for himself and rent a cheap motel on the outskirts of town. Furthermore, the lack of any clear correspondence via cellphone had left him with little guidance. This was especially vexing because he'd never been to Japan before and had only taken a crash course in Japanese in the months leading up to the mission. The culture and customs of these people were practically unknown to him.

That morning Wraith had finally contacted. Arriving at the door, Zero knocked once then entered. As he had expected, the window curtains were drawn and the lights were minimal. It took his eyes a few seconds to adjust to the darkness.

"It's about time you contacted me," he started gruffly. "I've not heard from you in a week."

_"Martial artists are supposed to adapt and overcome any challenge thrown at them. Isn't that right?"_

Hidden behind his robes and sitting in a desk chair, Zero could barely make out a smile on the cryptic lord's face. At least he was in a good mood. That was something at least.

"I did," Zero retorted. "But when you give me a mission the least you could do is provide me the tools to complete it faster. This week has gone by so slow I could scream."

_"What have you learned?"_

"These kids are all extremely gifted in the arts, and not just the two we saw either. I've personally verified that by their daily routines. One kid named Ranma fights other kids at school and I'm not just talking about your normal playground shuffle either. These kids have power. That alone isn't unusual, there are prodigies ranging in talent all around the world. What's unusual is to have so many gathered in one city."

_"Then it has been verified,"_ Wraith's voice would have come across as a purr if his tone didn't already sound like bone scraping across a tombstone. _"That is wonderful news."_

Zero jerked his thumb, pointing over his shoulder back towards the direction of Nerima. "I made "friendly" contact with one of the kids. His name was Ryoga, I think. Do you want me to apprehend him?"

_"No."_

"This Ranma then?"

_"No Zero. We will wait and bide our time. I want all of these children."_

Zero's jaw dropped. "All?"

_"Just continue to observe them for now. We must wait for them to gather. Do you understand?"_

Zero nodded and left the room, slamming it behind him. Standing outside in the doorway it was all he could do to not scream. Instead he took his frustration out on a nearby column and planted his fist square through it.

"What he can teach me had better be worth it…"


	7. Chapter 7: Ukyo's Test

Chapter 7: Ukyo's Test

Early Morning.

Ukyo stood in her undergarments admiring herself in the mirror. She had recently given up on bounding her breasts with tape at Ryoga's awkward request. The change to wearing a bra had been less than painful. In fact, it offered a world of greater support.

The training was already producing results. Her legs were beginning to hold a muscular and firm tone and her arms, while still skinny, showed lean muscles when she flexed. Most of all, she noticed her stomach. It had slimmed down further. A few months of training and her stomach would be nice and tight and still look feminine and attractive.

Best of all, the training had given her more energy. She wasn't nearly as tired as she had been in the past. She tackled the daily chores of her restaurant with new enthusiasm. These weeks of training were paying off and she admitted that Ryoga had her hooked.

She looked at herself again, focusing on her breasts this time. They were pretty large she guessed, but she couldn't understand the fascination boys showered them with. Then she was struck with a sinister idea. Dressing in a pair of tight black pants she slipped on a very loose tank top without her bra and picked up her spatula and several other combat effects before heading for the door.

As always Ryoga was waiting out back, umbrella in hand. Ukyo didn't waste any time and dove at him, her spatula crashing against his umbrella. She parried a blow to her ribs and back-flipped a few feet away with nimble grace.

"You're getting fast. Pretty soon you'll be even faster. I think we can start training you in on ki attack tomorrow if you can pass one final test."

"What test?"

He pulled out two red balloons with tape on them, stuck one on his chest and handed Ukyo the other one, which she put on her stomach.

"The first one to have their balloon popped loses. It's the same concept as that huge race we all signed up for with the prize being a trip to China."

"Huh?"

Ryoga scratched his head. "Oh, you weren't there. I forgot. Anyways, just try to pop this balloon while guarding your own, ok? The idea is that you must strike but with precision and moderation. Anyone can throw a punch, but controlling your attack, its speed, and its power, throughout the entire execution will prove you have the self-discipline and coordination to take your training to another level."

"Ready when you are sugar." Ukyo's teeth gritted.

He lunged forward, ducked down and avoided a lateral strike of her spatula then brought his umbrella between her legs and opened it, pulling forward sharply. Ukyo fell on her butt, dazed from the unexpected attack. He raised his umbrella to strike downward at her midsection, capitalizing on her shattered control. Ukyo's reflexes had improved thanks to her training and it showed as she nimbly rolled to the side. His weapon struck the ground a second later. As he pulled it out, a geyser of dirt erupted around him.

Ukyo rose to her feet and swung her cooking weapon, hoping to capitalize on her increased speed. However Ryoga used sheer power to force her back on the defensive. Clashing umbrella against spatula, he physically shoved her back over two meters with the power from his arms. She half backpedaled, half staggered, trying to regain her footing and had only a second to bring herself into defensive position. With arms moving frantically, she blocked a flurry of attacks aimed at her stomach.

Ukyo gave ground again and suddenly Ryoga was in her face and his hand reached out to take hold of her balloon. Ukyo raised her weapon and deflected his grab only to realize far too late that it had been a ruse. Grabbing her spatula he yanked forward hard, knowing she wouldn't let go. With a pivot of his body he sent her flying into the air, throwing several razor sharp bandanna's at her.

Ukyo reached to the bandoleer wrapped around her body from left shoulder to right hip and skillfully deflected his attack mini spatula projectiles of her own.

She could tell that Ryoga was honestly trying to win. She realized as she touched down to face him again that this made her happy. It showed how much he respected her and her abilities. Many of the strong, savage attacks he threw at her were only dished out because he had faith that she could deflect or evade them.

He came at her again, his weapon held high to stride downward. She noticed that his stance far too wide and she planted the flat of her foot against his chest, forcing him backward. He skidded backwards and she followed up, aiming the flat of her massive spatula for the top of his head.

"Bukusai Tenketsu!"

Ryoga's attack provided a screen of rock shards that stopped Ukyo in her tracks and provided a respite from any further gains she might have explored. Retracting her attack she hid behind the large spatula, using it as a shield against the rock shards.

"Two can play at that! Flower bomb!"

She threw the explosive flower packet but Ryoga took his belt off and cut through the projectile while aiming for the fuse. The two halves of her attack fell on either side of him and fizzled out on the ground.

Next Ryoga threw out his umbrella. It spun straight for her like a ballistic spinning top and she had to side roll to avoid it. Like a boomerang, the weapon returned to Ryoga but instead of snatching it up to use for further combat, he kicked the umbrella and turned it into a high speed projectile. Without time to dodge again, she again used the spatula as a shield. Even prepared for the blow, it still knocked her on her butt.

The distraction was all Ryoga needed and he concentrated on the negative energy and thoughts that had fallen dormant in his mind since the battle against Taro. Having seen Ryoga use the move before, she knew what was coming. Countering it was another matter entirely. With only seconds to think, she reached into her pants pockets and pulled out a bag of batter and smeared it onto her spatula with a quick flick of her wrist.

_All or nothing. _Ukyo harnessed her ki.

Ryoga stretched his hands out in front of him. "Shishi Hoko Dan!"

The energy expanded into a form Ukyo hadn't seen before. A large bubble of energy extended from his body and quickly expanded towards her, burning the grass underfoot.

"Ukyo Konji Okonomiyaki Special Attack! Batter Dragon!"

The energy charged batter flew off of her spatula as she swung it towards Ryoga's incoming attack. When she had developed the attack and used it once before on the Crepe King, it had knocked him senseless and enveloped his body into a massive okonomiyaki. Food based attacks were her specialty but what surprised Ryoga was seeing such an attack laced with ki energy. He hadn't been aware that Ukyo had even known how to use ki and Ranma had mentioned nothing about it.

The batter took the shape of a dragon and its jaws sought Ryoga out. Clashing instead with the Shishi Hoko Dan, the two powerful attacks effectively canceled each other out. If Ryoga had used the second phase of the Shishi Hoko Dan, the "beam" attack, or more powerful still, the upward column of energy version that could wipe out a city block, the outcome would have been far different.

The two attacks sparked and clashed. A second later, the bubble of energy exploded, breaking up the chef's attack and scattering batter throughout the yard.

"I didn't know you could do that," Ryoga conceded, utterly impressed.

Ukyo dodged the batter splatter and attacked again. She swung again with a baseball player's strength and nearly succeeded in cutting Ryoga in half. She might have if he hadn't backed away at the last second.

Retrieving his umbrella Ryoga rushed forward, issuing out a flurry of blows that Ukyo avoided or dodged while backpedaling across the yard. They clashed again, both moving parallel across the yard, both striking at the balloon on the other's chest.

Giving Ukyo an opening, she took it, extending her arm and her weapon too far. Back flipping, Ryoga's feet caught the spatula handle and knocked it from her grasp.

"Now I got you!" he ran forward, weapon held out front.

Grinning wickedly however, Ukyo bent forward at the waist giving Ryoga a delicious view of ample cleavage unhindered by a bra. He stopped dead in his tracks, frozen with shock. The umbrella fell from his hands as a trickle of blood leaked from his nose.

"Gotcha!" Ukyo casually walked up to him and poked her index finger through his balloon, popping it instantly.

Breathing deeply, she smiled sweetly at him. "I win."

"That," Ryoga said fighting against the nose bleed with one hand, "was a dirty trick. Still, you won...even if it wasn't not fair-and-square."

"No rules in battle," Ukyo reminded him sweetly.

He laughed softly, impressed by her crafty decision in combat. "You've got style. Alright, tomorrow, we'll begin the serious training so I want you to get a lot of rest tonight. Ki training takes more energy than working out does. I wasn't aware you knew some ki based attacks. That should speed this process up considerably."

"Oh, and knock out thirty pushups and forty five sit-ups before you come in." He walked past her to freshen up for the work shift to come.

Ukyo was beside herself with excitement. Throwing her fist in the air, she cheered loudly at her newfound strength and good fortunes. Looking around the yard however, her smile dimmed just a bit as she wondered how she was going to possibly get all that batter off the side of the restaurant and the yard…

* * *

"That girl is one piece of work, wouldn't you say, sir?" Zero commented while leaning down over the railing of the same building he met his master the last time he had actually ventured out of his stifling hotel room.

_"She has potential, yes."_

"Her boyfriend isn't bad either. I sense great strength in him as well. I'll enjoy taking him on and introducing him to my little friend here."

Zero lovingly patted a razor sharp tomahawk he had attached to his belt. It had taken its fair share of lives in illegal underground fighting matches but he'd taken great care to keep it it from ever losing its sharpness, a sharpness that could cut through bone with a mere flick of the wrist.

_ "He is far more than great. Ryoga Hibiki's whole body literally flows with the sweetest of dark power, especially when he's depressed. Keep your eyes on that one as well as Ranma Saotome, thse two are the greatest of my personally selected candidates. They are the key to what we seek."_

"Yes lord. I've already met with Hibiki the other day. The kid is very gullible."

Wraith nodded_. "From what you've told me and what I've personally observed, Ranma is strong but far too confident. These weaknesses could provide us with an edge. Zero, the plan cannot wait much longer. I cannot wait much longer. We've verified information, observed them for weaknesses, and noted their strengths. Now is the time to strike. Listen for a time when they will be gathered together, then we will pounce."_

"Yes sir." Zero grinned slightly. Combat, sweet combat was soon to be his to experience again. He felt his master teleport away, leaving only a slight breeze to mark his exit.

Soon the path to greater strength would be open to him and with it, the chance to overwrite the past. For the briefest of instances his mind wandered to the past and he tasted the victory and defeat of his violent and colorful life. When he remembered being disgraced in the ring his face hardened into a tight frown and he banished the past where it belonged, deep in his subconscious.

It was best to plan in the here and now. First Wraith would be made satisfied and then he would show Zero the generosity the fighter had gone to Germany for in the first place. Everyone would benefit and then Zero would be able to return home and make things right.

"Time to get to work then." He didn't need any further instructions, he was free to hunt and as long as he could hunt, all was well. Zero was a simple man, and it was completing simple tasks that pleased him the most.


	8. Chapter 8: Prelude to the Hunt

Chapter 8: Prelude to the Hunt

Soun, Nabiki, Kuno, Kodachi, Sasuke, Shampoo, Genma, Happosai, Ryoga, Ukyo, Mousse, Cologne, and Kasumi stood grouped together outside of the dojo, chatting amongst each other. The air was abuzz with excitement. A gathering of this size had not occurred at the Tendo Dojo since the failed wedding attempt six months prior. The summons had been Akane's doing and she'd personally called all of the gathered people here for a reason yet unknown.

Ranma stood a few paces in front of them with Akane at his side. Of all the people gathered only she was in the know.

"Ok, now that everyone is here I can tell ya' why I asked y'all here." Ranma looked out at his friends and family, smiling broadly.

"About time!" Happosai shouted.

"As you may or may not have known, my birthday is next Thursday. Now, I don't want a huge party, just a group outin' at the park. It's a chance to have some fun and maybe hold some sparring matches n' stuff. Sound cool?"

This went well over with everyone. The prospect of a party was exciting. As far as everyone knew they had never hung out on a friends (or rivals for that matter) on someone's birthday before. The change of pace was a welcomed one to all. The school's victory party of a few weeks ago had been fun but all of these gathered fighters with the exception of the Kuno siblings had one major thing in common that Ranma's party offered them: a chance to unwind, be themselves, and have fun away from the limelight and crowds.

"And I don't expect nothin' from any of you," he continued. "All I want is for each and everyone of you to be there with a smile and an expectancy to have a good time. Meet up in the park around three."

The group stayed together and talked a few more minutes before breaking up, each going their own way home. They had all agreed in hushed whispers to get him something special despite what he had said. Even Kuno and Mousse seemed overly happy, much to everyone's amazement. Mousse probably felt grateful to Ranma for "losing" their match, thereby handing the prospect of winning over Shampoo to him.

Ranma waved to his friends as they finally left. "They really are good friends… stupid jerks too, but friends all the same."

Akane nodded. "I feel that way about Shampoo. Ah, I'm so excited! This party is going to be a blast! We've never celebrated your birthday before, have we?"

Ranma scratched at his nose. "Well, up until now I'd just thought of it as another day. Mom used to give me presents when I was small, but it was so long ago I can hardly remember it. Then, when I was out on our long training trips Pop never got me anything. Just having enough to eat was all I could ask for. So, because of that, birthdays never meant much. But after Saffron and Taro I've kind of re-thought the idea. Might as well have fun while I'm young, ya' know?"

Akane smiled. "Makes sense to me."

"So whatcha' gonna get me?" He asked, grinning widely.

Akane playfully slugged him in the arm. "You've been a baaaaadddd boy, Ranma. I don't know if I should get you anything."

Giggling, she made sure no one was looking then planted a quick kiss on his lips before leaning to whisper into his ear, "There's one thing I'd really, really love to do for you."

She almost moaned his ear and pawed cutely at his chest.

Ranma's brain overloaded and steam could literally be seen rising from his hot red face. "Uh… yeah?"

"More than anything, I want to do one thing for you, something I know will please you to no end…"

Ranma felt like he was going to explode. "Oh? What's that?"

"More than anything I want to…" her breath felt hot against his ear, "cook you dinner."

"Oh hell yes… wait…" He wobbled backwards slightly, overwhelmed and stuttering. He couldn't make up his mind as to whether he wanted to be angry or horrified.

Akane watched him and laughed loudly. "You're such a dope! You fell for it!"

"No fair getting me all worked up like that!" He protested

Akane stuck out her tongue. "Get changed. Last one into the dojo for practice has to wash dishes tonight!" Smiling broadly, she took off for the house.

"Hey! No fair! You got a head start! Akane! Akaneeeee! Wait up, will ya?!"

* * *

From the other side of the concrete wall that hid him from view, Zero smiled broadly, slamming his hand into his palm hard enough to vibrate the concrete around him.

_Finally!_

When the day of the hunt finally arrived, he would take control of the situation with an iron grasp. For the first time since starting the dull assignment he felt excitement flare through his veins. He knew Wraith wanted these kids alive but he didn't say they couldn't be roughed up. It would make for good sport to see how these Japanese teen martial artists would fair against his unique brand of violence.

Casually, he walked off down the street, eager to report these findings to his temporary master. Wraith was patient, but Zero had no intention of testing his limits. Normally cool and calm, he broke into a dead run. There was no shame in it. Even the greatest of hunters had to run… from time to time.

Ukyo stood in combat position crying out as yellow energy flowing out from her body like waves in an ocean. Ryoga looked on intensely, watching her every move with keen eyes. Like a battery, her body filled with radiance and strength taken from both within and from without her own body. The resulting lights display was electrifying and spectacular to behold.

It hadn't taken long for Ryoga to discover Ukyo's uniquely inherent ability. From his previous experience, martial artists who had the ability to use ki attacks came in two forms: those who tapped into vast reserves of power from within themselves to make their attacks work, such as Herb or Kirin or those who took or manipulated energy from others like Ms. Hinako. Ranma was unique in that he could do both with the Hiryu Shoten Ha.

Having watched her over the course of the last few days, Ukyo had proven to be even more unique. She introduced a concept of ki harnessing that Ryoga had never heard of before. She did have her own supply of potent ki, and she could probably produce a fairly successful attack with that energy alone. But what the girl instinctively did instead was to use her own energy to draw in power from nature around them. First she absorbed, and then she acted as a conduit, unleashing the gathered ki with her own holding it intact.

The discovery of a third type of ki gathering had been nothing short of amazing to the Lost Boy.

Discharged bolds of power whispered away from her at great speeds, showing her novice skill at containing the power she summoned. That would surely change with time and further training. This was the most volatile part of her training, one where even a slight mistake or abuse of her skills could lead to a deadly backfire of energy. Ryoga trusted her but took a few cautious steps backwards, just in case.

_Keep it steady. Let it trickle in. Not too fast._

Concentrating and hold fast to the energy inside took all of her power and willpower and, as Ryoga had told her, it was one of the hardest things she had ever done.

"Feel the energy coursing through your body? Ki needs time to concentrate itself into your body. After that, it's a simple manner of harnessing it to your hands to be used as a weapon. It's a privilege to be taught how to fight with ki so never misuse it. Tampering with ki is a risky business that puts the user at risk. If something ever feels like its going wrong, cut off your convection as quickly as possible."

Ukyo nodded, keeping her eyes shut to maintain her concentration. The sense was almost more then she could bear. She could feel it filling her mind and body, giving her a warm invincible feeling. With this strength, the power could be an invaluable tool, just as Ryoga said. She felt larger than the greatest mountains. She could smash cities into dust and raise lakes from desert. She felt utterly invincible and it was difficult to not get in over her head. Listening to Ryoga helped to anchor her in reality, resisting her inner mind's promising whispers.

"It takes a few days to get used to these new sensations," Ryoga went on. "This is the crucial part. This is what you've spent the last week learning to do. Think deeply on what you want your attack to look like. Focus the energy into a form in your mind. Nod your head when you're finished."

Ukyo body trembled as sweat soaking her clothes. She withdrew deep into herself, diving head first into the ocean of ki just as she had been taught, forming the energy as she desired in her hands. Once finished she nodded her head.

"Ok, good. Now using your mind, channel it to your hands and wait for it to collect there. When you feel it completely leave your body, release it. But aim high! We don't want to take out half the city in the name of training you."

Ukyo brought her shaking palms within three inches of each other and a large disk of green energy collected there. It grew to nearly two feet in width, as its power played across her arms. Strands of energy crackled in the air around her, and her arms vibrated, struggling to hold onto the power as it fought to release itself.

"Now!" Ryoga cried out, focusing his eyes upward.

With an uncharacteristic scream, Ukyo unleashed her energy. It was to say the least, breathtaking. Instead of a solid beam, a multitude of green bolts flew together like a school of tightly packed fish, weaving at first to the right and then at the last second skyward, narrowly missing the roof of the house next door. The attack fired up into the evening sky only to dissipate harmlessly into the stratosphere.

Ryoga danced in place with his hands raised high, giddy with excitement. "You did it!"

Bolds crisscrossed across her hands, leftovers from the discharged attack. Rigid and powerful, Ryoga realized Ukyo's attack somewhat resembled Kirin's famous technique. The attack lacked the strength to last very long, but its sheer size and power astounded him all the same. As the move sucked her own energy dry, she willed the open current of ki to stop and sank to her knees in complete exhaustion. Tired as she was, though, she couldn't help but put a small, proud smile on her face.

Ryoga picked her up in his arms and twirled her in the air. "That was great, Ukyo! I've never seen anything like that before! What are you going to call it?"

"Ballistic Lightning Flash." She said quietly, wanting nothing more than to curl up in her bed and sleep for the next three days.

Ryoga noticed this as well. "That's a good name! Here's a tip for next time: hold back a little bit of power and you won't feel as tired. Remember when I fought that monkey man on Toma's island? Never make the mistake I did and release all your energy at once. This feeling of drowsiness will pass in a few minutes. Just let your energy reserves restore themselves and you'll feel much better."

He smiled from ear to ear. Her completion of the ki attack not only proved he was a decent teacher, but that her fighting potential was far higher than anyone would have previously realized. He gently set her back on her feet and put his hands on her shoulders, giving her a large smile.

"I want you to know how proud of you I am."

"Thanks, hon. I couldn't have done it without you." She gave him as large a smile as she could muster.

Behind them someone clapped loudly, desiring to be seen. Ryoga spun around in surprise, staring upwards, above the line of the yard wall. Standing not ten feet away on top of the wall, Michael Creed kept clapping with a cheerful smile on his face.

The smile tightened the O shaped scar on his cheek. "Impressive!"

Ryoga gave Ukyo a reaffirming smile Ukyo down then walked over to the wall. "Oh, Michael, it's you." He nodded to the sky. "Did you see that?"

Zero jumped down and shook Ryoga's hand warmly. "I sure did! Hell of a sight kid! Hell of a sight! You trained your girlfriend with near perfection. I'm impressed!" He smiled over at Ukyo who offered a small, hesitant smiled in return to the boisterous foreigner that had just happened to be watching them from the edge of her yard.

Ryoga put one hand behind his head, gushing at the praise being thrown his way. His trusting nature got the better of him again and he didn't even think to ask why the man had been snooping around at seven in the morning. "Well, she's been practicing a lot…"

He didn't really know what to say. The shock of Ukyo's fantastic attack was still etched in his mind. He briefly wondered how it would stand against the likes of Ranma's Moko Takabisha or his second stage Shishi Hoko Dan.

"Your one lucky man to have a girl like that. Missy, if he ever harms one hair on your pretty head you come get me and I'll teach him a lesson." He laughed good-naturedly then, whistling softly, turned around and hopped back onto the main street. The whistled tune picked up in tempo as he walked off down the road at a leisurely pace.

"You know that guy?" Ukyo asked. She rubbed at her arms and the goose bumps looking at him had produced.

"Yeah. He came to the restaurant a few days ago. He's an American martial artist here on vacation. I guess he's just taking in the sights."

"I don't know...," Ukyo said, frowning slightly. "I don't mean to judge a book by its cover but something about him just doesn't seem right. He sure the heck isn't like any tourist I've ever seen before. I just have a bad feeling about him. His whole personality seems…" she searched for the right word, "forced.

"Forced?" Ryoga leveled one eyebrow.

"I know it sounds crazy!" Ukyo gestured. "And I'm sure he was a fine character when he was at the restaurant. Speaking of, did he ask a lot of questions?"

"A few," Ryoga replied. "Most foreigners out sightseeing around Tokyo tend to do that. Why?"

"Well, Ranma did say he thought someone of non-Japanese descent was watching him.

Look, all I'm saying is that 'muscles' gives me a bad vibe. It's like he's not really the man he'd like us to believe he is." She rubbed away the goose bumps on her arms, fighting the urge to shiver.

Ryoga put his hand on her back and led her back into the house. "Ukyo, your still worn out from your training is all. I'm sure he's perfectly harmless. If he'd wanted to attack us he's had plenty of chances lately."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," She smiled warmly at him, dismissing her fears as nervous exhaustion. Ryoga knew the man far better than she did. Her father would have scolded her for being so judgemental, as he had when she had first met Ranma and made some unfair comments.

"I'm sure he's harmless." Sighing contently, she nuzzled against Ryoga shoulders and allowed him to carry her into the house again.

* * *

_ "Thursday?"_

"Yeah, I heard it myself. They are all going to throw a party for Saotome in the park." Zero looked up from his bowed position in front of his master.

_ "How very touching. Our invitation must have gotten lost in the mail."_

"We'll have to crash the party then." Both men laughed unpleasantly.

_ "Things are going perfectly! I couldn't have planned it any better if I had tried. We'll have to make sure this is a birthday he will never forget."_

Z ero nodded, shifting with impatience. The waiting was almost more than he could bear. While his physical form showed his Native American heritage proudly, his personality showed none of the people's better traits. He was a bully, a person who lived only for himself and at the expense of others. To be held back from striking and asserting his dominance was like not being able to breathe. He absentmindedly patted the tomahawk attached to his side.

"_Patience, my friend. We will pay a visit to Ranma around four on Thursday. Do not hesitate to attack then. The quicker we catch them off guard the better."_

"Yes sir." Zero bowed then walked away, adrenaline surging through his veins.


	9. Chapter 9: Vows Set in Stone

Chapter 9: Vows Set in Stone

_Hmmm... what to give him, what to get him..._

Whistling, Ryoga rummaged through his belongings, trying to find some extra change before he went shopping for a present. Turning to close his dresser, his foot hit his backpack hard, tipping it over. Looking down, he saw a small wooden canister about the size of his hand rolled out.

"What the...?" He picked it up and inspected it. It didn't look familiar but then again, objects often got lost in the confines of his backpack that somehow never seemed to run out of room.

The canister was water tight, holding fluid inside. Shaking it up and down, Ryoga tried to remember what it was. Suddenly he did remember, and he nearly dropped it in his moment of shock! There had been so much confusion he almost hadn't remembered! He fell to his knees, remembering.

After Ranma and Saffron's hellish battle, he had procured a small bottle of Nannichaun from the Guide at about the same time Soun had. The joy of the victory over Saffron as well as having Akane back to normal had taken precedence and he'd put the water in his bag and promptly forgotten about it, as only absent-minded Ryoga could do. With the coming of the even more powerful Taro, it seemed life had produced enough distractions to keep him from using it. As his hand gripped the cork containing the precious liquid, he was tempted to use it then and there.

_I should give this to him for his birthday..._

_ Are you nuts?! _His mind screamed back. You've spent years looking for this! Forgetting about it was bad enough, and now you want to give your own cure away? It's your water! You thought ahead and acquired it, and carried it home. You should be the one to use it!

He had to admit, his brain created a really sound argument.

"But… I…" He barred his fangs in frustration. The hand holding the cure shook. "He saved my life when I should have died. Not to mention that if it wasn't for Ranma I wouldn't be with Ukyo today."

_Don't forget he is also responsible for P-Chan. And he also stole Akane from you._

"Akane was never going to be mine," Ryoga replied, denying his self-desires any further chance for victory. "Besides, who cares if I change? Ukyo doesn't care, so why should I? Face it, I owe him! Yes! I've decided! Ranma will be cured tomorrow! At least that way my debt to him is paid in full!"

Sighing, he set the small barrel on his dresser and left the room before temptation gripped him again. At least he wouldn't have to fork out cash to buy a present.

* * *

Thursday afternoon:

Everyone arrived at roughly the same time on sunny afternoon day. School was out for the day and those who attended were more than happy to be able to stretch their legs and get some exercise after having parked their butts in school desks all day.

At the party's onset, Ranma was overwhelmed with a mountain of presents which he protesting accepted with good humor. The fact that gifts had been brought despite his request against it was not a surprise; he knew all his friends well enough that they would have brought some anyways.

The weather was perfect. It seemed Mother Nature, who in her malevolence, would often bring in a lone rain cloud to torment the Jusenkyo cursed teens, was cutting them a break. A collective sigh of thanks was issued out to all those that applied.

The day commenced with a variety of games including sparring matches and soccer. But the big event was a baseball game took place halfway through the party. The crazy characters that inhabited Nerima provided a game worthy of the wacky world of sports.

"Ok, everyone! Let's have some fun!" Ranma cried, grabbing a baseball bat and ball. "Form teams. Two innings, two chances one chance to win!"

Ranma and Ryoga squared off as team captains. Ranma chose Akane, Shampoo, Kodachi, Sasuke, Soun, Genma, Happosai, and Nabiki to participate on his team. Ryoga picked Ukyo, Mousse, Kuno, Cologne, Hiroshi, Daisuke, and Kasumi. Nadoka, not wishing to make the teams uneven, decided to cheer for her son from the sidelines.

It turned out to be the funniest game of baseball the sport had ever seen. Ranma's team was first up to bat. Ranma, Akane, and Shampoo all scored base hits only to have Soun get struck out by Ryoga. The older man walked off the field crying buckets. Genma in panda form was almost impossible to miss and the ball struck him and he walked to first, bringing Ranma home for the game's first run. Sasuke struck out and walked away muttering about the injustice of it all. Happosai used his ki to bring the ball to him and drove it deep into center field, bringing in Akane and scoring another run. Nabiki struck out but bribed Kuno {who was guarding first} with pictures of Ranma-chan in the nude and brought in another run in the form of Shampoo. Kodachi then struck out ending Ranma's team at bat.

Ryoga's team was set for a firm offense but Ranma and his team was taking rigid defensive positions. Ryoga scored a base hit but Mousse, who couldn't see the ball, was struck out easily by Ranma's sonic pitches. Ukyo struck out and was replaced by Cologne who whacked the ball to left field with her stick then hopped to first. Daisuke hit it almost past the foul goal post and managed to load the bases. Kuno slammed the ball far into right field bringing in Ryoga.

"Such an athlete am I, the fairest of sword's men. Is there a physical activity a Kuno cannot master? Nay! Indeed, I am well suited for this game." he twirled the bat in his hand admiring his handiwork rather than running the bases.

"Run dumbass! Run!" Ryoga shouted, rounding the bases.

"What? I, the noble Kuno run? Never! Did the great emperors of old ever rush unnecessarily in the face of battle!? Did the great swords man, Musashi, ever run under pressure!? Nay! I shall walk dignified and proudly to my glory."

A swift kick in the butt by Hiroshi landed Kuno on first, loading the bases. Hiroshi brought in a run, making the score three to two in Ryoga's favor. Kasumi, last at bat, held the game in her hands and surprised the hell out of everyone by knocking the ball out of the park, having hit the games only homer. The four players jogged back home victoriously

"Oh my. Did I do that?" Picking up her dress Kasumi calmly walked the bases.

Afterwards there was pizza baked by Ukyo and a delicious chocolate cake previously prepared by Kasumi. Then came the presents, over a dozen and beautifully decorated. Some were just too huge to believe. Ranma couldn't hope to guess what some contained.

Nabiki surprised him by giving him an envelope. He hadn't expected to get anything from her given how materialistic and stingy she was. "It's all the money I've ever gotten from you, Ranma. My stock's doing well enough for me to take a cut." She smiled, showing more emotion on her face then Ranma had ever seen before.

An akward moment followed where she wasn't sure if she wanted to hug him or not. She left it off by slapping his shoulder playfully. "I'm going to be your sister someday... might as well act like it, eh?"

Soun and Genma announced to Ranma that his gift was in the form of a brand new weight lifting set in the dojo. With his own weights he would finally be able to conduct some more othrodox training methods to increase his strength.

Kusami had bought him a new futon when she noticed his old one was falling apart from years of wear and tear. Shampoo, Cologne, and Mousse gave him a Cat Cafe' gift certificate worth 100 free lunches. Even for Ranma's formidable eating skills, 100 free lunches was nothing to scoff at. More importantly, it would give him a buffer against the nights that Akane chose to cook.

Ukyo had taken took Ranma's measurements from Akane a few days before and most happily handed him a brand new karate Gi. Hiroshi and Daisuke gave him him several anime dvds, mostly of Inuyasha and Dragonball Z which happened to be his favorites. Happosai was surprisingly nice and gave him a ticket. Ranma stared at it, with a raised eyebrow.

"It's a plane ticket m'boy. They were having some kind of drawing when I was in America and I won a free trip back to use whenever I want. It's good for two people, so you could take Akane if you want."

Ranma surprised Happosai by actually calling him by his rightful name as a way of thanks rather than his usual nicknames like "Freak" or "Old Goat".

Kodachi came next. Bounding forward and laughing insanely enough to scare a mental ward patient, she set a huge box at his feet. "I know you never liked computers much, Ranma darling, but it has easy to use instructions and I guarantee you'll get your much hated homework out of the way ten times faster." She struck a seductive pose. "Ah, only the fairest of maidens could present a gift so fitting for her man. You'll notice my fair picture has been graciously added as the background theme."

"Uh... thanks... I think?"

Next up was Kuno. "Saotome! Day after days you thwart my efforts to rescue my beloveds and though we may be rivals, cannot we also reach an accord as well? I, TatiWaki Kuno, the magnificent Blue Thunder of Furinkian High, graciously present you with the "Dragon's Eye."

He held up clear package that, when Ranma tore open, saw a round, dragon-shaped object that was about the size of his palm. "It was a gift from the Shaolin monks when my family made a generous donation to one of their temples. It will give you one day of unbelievable strength, as well as making your attacks one hundred times stronger. Use it only when needed."

"Thanks a lot!" Ranma shook his hand thankfully, promising to go a bit easier on Kuno at school for a while. Looking at the dragon orb, he wished he'd been in possession of such a gift a few months ago. It might have made Taro's rampage far less painful for everyone involved.

Akane and Nadoka came up and presented him with two brand new casual outfit sets much like the red and black one he already had. Not knowing his tastes they had decided to error on the side of caution and go with what he was familiar with. His mother had also included new black laceless shoes that he immediately tried on.

Ranma was practically beside himself. Never before had he received so much stuff before in his entire life. Of course that wasn't hard to believe since he had spent most of his time traveling the roads. As he'd illustrated to Akane before, birthdays lost their magic and became just another day when one was out on the hard dusty road. Apparently Akane had conveyed this message to the others and his friends and family had gone all out to make up for lost time.

"Ok, everybody, let's go play another ga..."

"No! I have yet to give you my gift." Ryoga said with stiff formality, walking forward from the throng of people. His walk, while purposeful, seemed hesitant and forced, as if his legs were moving forward only through his own sheer force of will.

He looked into Ranma's eyes, his face set with determination. "You and I both know the Juseknyo springs were destroyed during that incident with Saffron last year. Well, at first I was going to use this myself. Then, in my arrogance, I thought I could use it to taunt you...possibly trade it to you for a chance at Akane's affections. But due to Taro's sudden appearance, I simply forgot about it. What I have to give you is very precious. It's so precious in fact that I dumped out my only container of water for it. It's worth more to us than any amount of money."

He looked a bit tormented as he spoke, as if these words pained him. "This is a canteen of Nannichaun water from Jusenkyo, Ranma."

Ranma's eyes widened as Ryoga put the barrel into his trembling hands. He couldn't speak, couldn't move...it was like a dream!

"Use it," Ryoga said, watching him. His voice sounded almost pained and Ranma understood why his friend and martial arts rival had seemed as hesistant as he did. Even as he handed it over, there was a part of Ryoga that didn't want to. Ranma understood that. It wasn't just those two; Mousse was eying the container with envious eyes as well. Ryoga's present was a gift of a thousand life times.

Tears sprung into Ranma's eyes as his emotions got the better of him. He clutched the flask tightly in one hand and hugged his friend with the other. "Thank you Ryoga! This means more to me than you realise. You made the ultimate sacrifice for me and I'm forever in your debt!"

He bowed low to Ryoga. "Thank you."

Ryoga smiled slightly, one fang hanging out of his mouth. "Use it."

Ranma opened the flask with trembling hands and poured it over his head. A new sensation rippled through his body like an electrical jolt. It felt like a part of him was draining away, the side he had never wanted. He joyously felt the water wash away the girl-side curse that had plagued him for over two years. A huge grin formed on his face that still failed to convey his joy. The revelation that he was now free excited him to no end. He looked at everyone, trembling, trying to find his voice.

"Akane! Quick, get a pail of water!"

Akane grabbed a nearby cup of cold water and poured it over his head. With the sudden burst of chill, there was no girl figure, no girl voice, no oversized clothes, and no change. Tears of happiness streamed down his face and everyone cheered with the exception of Kodachi and Kuno who had absolutely no idea what was going on.

Wiping his face, Ranma turned back to the small crowd as a one hundred percent man. Now that he was cured he could do what he should have done months ago but had lacked the courage. Ever since then he'd tried to find the resolve to approach her with the subject he had chickened out. But now he could, and it would have to be done quickly, while his courage held up and the ecstatic feelings brought on by his cure held up.

"I have something to say and give to Akane!"

He thought back to the night of the victory ball at the school and to his mother's words that had started it all. He thought of his secluded dance with Akane as the fireflies had serenaded them with golden light. It had been on that night he'd decided to go through with it. Under normal circumstances he would have wanted to get her alone, but fate had lent him the courage at this point and time and so there would be witnesses. It didn't really matter. Everyone would have found out within hours anyways.

He knelt before her and looked up deep into her gray eyes. "Akane...I know we never took our engagement seriously in the past. But now it's different..." He struggled for the right words. "I want to _make_ it real! I want to be with you! We both have more growing up to do I know that. But I want to do it with you. I want to learn and grow with you. I want to have children with you, and carry on our dojo. You are the one I want to make happiest in the world and there isn't anything in the world I wouldn't do to protect you or make you happy. What I'm trying to as is… Akane Tendo would you...marry me?"

He held up a simple golden ring with a half carat diamond in the center and Akane gave a choked little sob, bringing her left hand to her mouth in shock. It wasn't as extravagant as Ranma had wanted but it was all he could afford. This little ring had taken just about every yen he'd saved. He only hoped the gesture was worth more than the ring itself.

Akane began to cry unabashedly as Nadoka put her own hands to her mouth and leaned against Genma, just as touched and shocked as Akane was.

Akane didn't even hesitate. She allowed him to take her hand. An instant later, he slid the ring onto her finger. In the background the enraged Kuno siblings dropped out cold to the ground and were dragged away Cologne and Happosai before they could upset the happy scene.

"Yes!" Akane cried out. She pulled him up for the longest, deepest kiss they had yet shared.

Everyone cheered loudly.

"WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HH! My little girl is going to be married!" Soun resolve fell apart like a house of cards.

Saskuki ran around the park cheering, throwing confetti and blowing a small horn as the entire group erupted with cheers of well wishes and Akane's sisters held silver tears in their eyes as well as they moved to embrace their youngest.

Ukyo and Shampoo exchanged a glance as the faintest of throbs hit the two of them. It was to be expected when being in the presence of the boy they'd chased for years as he proposed to their former rival. Then Ukyo gave her a smile and hugged Ryoga's arm as if to say, "things turned out better for us this way". Shampoo mimicked the gesture with Mousse and the two exchanged knowing winks.

Soun pinched his own cheek, checking to make sure this day wasn't a dream that would tease him with its clarity then fade into the depths of a dream. If it was, he never wanted to wake up from such joyful bonds. Pain jolted his brain from the hard pinch, showing him what he saw was indeed reality. Tears fell from his eyes as he watched the young lovers, reflecting on a time when he thought such an event would never come.

Ranma Saotome hugged Akane around the waist as she rested her head on his shoulder, wiping away the last of her joyful tears. Their hands clasped together, a visual reflection of the eternal unity to come.


	10. Chapter 10: The Birthday He'll Never

Chapter 10: The Birthday He'll Never Forget

Once everyone had finally calmed down, they broke up into small groups, each laughing and teasing the new couple playfully. Kuno and Kodachi were placed off to the side by a small tree and bound with sturdy rope in case they tried to cause any trouble during the occasion. Ranma raised a glass of sake' preparing to make a toast, something he would not have done or partaken in had it occurred during any other time. He ran through a brief speech in his mind and opened his mouth. For once, the words came to him, flowing across his tongue like water. "Everyone, I just want to say that-"

A small rock cut through the air and shattered his glass, spilling the liquid all over the grass.

"Hey, I didn't get a chance to give you my gift yet. How rude."

Everyone's head spun around to see Zero leaning up against a tree, frowning with endless distain. He rested against the trunk of a tree in the shade dressed in a white cutoff shirt and black, form hugging pants that seemed made for battle. He tossed a palm size rock up in the air, caught it and crushed it effortlessly in his palm. His master had led him to this hunting ground and now, he would finally be rewarded for his hard work. An utter feeling of satisfaction grabbed hold of his mind.

"Michael, what are you doing here?" Ryoga asked in confusion.

"The names not Michael, kid. It's Zero to you! You're not worthy to speak my true name."

Ryoga, Ranma, and Mousse moved instantly to the front, shielding the others as Zero pushed off from the tree with his hip and strolled casually forward.

"I've waited weeks for this very moment. We've been watching you, observing, planning. Now it will all pay off. If you have any final words to say to each other, I would do so now. Once the hunt has begun, there isn't any escape."

"Don't start any trouble,"Ranma warned, bringing up a fist. "I don't know who you are but it would be best for your sake if you turned around and walked away."

Zero laughed, leaning forward arrogantly. "I don't think you realize the situation here. All of you fools have entered a hell you won't ever escape from. If you resist, your deaths won't come quickly, but, in the end they will occur, by my blade, I do so swear." He grinned evilly, patting his tomahawk. He had years of experience under his belt and had long ago eliminated any object he held dear that could possibly hinder him in a match. The confidence this fact brought showed as the three boys sized him up.

"Are you friends or allies of Taro?" Ranma asked, stalling as he tried to gather as much visual information on this enemy as he could, including apparent strengths and weaknesses. He'd never seen this guy before and the aura surrounding him was not the same as the one he'd sensed during his morning run a week or so ago. The sudden challenge by some unknown foreigner had caught him completely off guard and he needed further knowledge to figure out what he was dealing with.

Zero cocked his head. "Who?"

"Large guy in armor. Could blend in with shadows," Ryoga supplied.

"Oh," Zero nodded, "I know the guy."

"So you are working with him then?"

"Working with?" Zero blinked once then laughed, pounding his chest with a fist. "No kid, I fought him!"

"Bullshit!" Ranma scoffed. "You are telling me you defeated the Shadow Warrior on your own? The guy with more armor than a tank and who could level half a city with more ki attacks than half the world's martial artists combined?"

Zero's ego inflated as the knowledge of the dangerous foe he'd engaged became clearer. When the two had met over a year ago there hadn't been many words exchanged. Since coming to Japan he'd heard mutterings about some incident at Furinkan High and mention of a man in armor. Now everything was clarified. The same warrior who had attacked him had come to Japan to engage Ranma.

"He had one or two special attacks that I saw. It wasn't anything worth writing home about." Zero shrugged. "I wouldn't say that I defeated the guy, but I did fight him to a standstill and forced him to retreat."

Zero, Ranma realized, had clearly engaged Taro before he'd successfully traveled the world killing or crushing worth foes into the ground. Perhaps Zero had been Taro's first target. Taro did mention the difficulty of his training. Perhaps Zero's prowess with the martial arts had shown the older teenager that he was insufficiently prepared to take Ranma on. It was all speculation but if it was true that Zero managed to hold his own against Taro with no outside help, then it spoke volumes as to how dangerous a foe he really was.

Zero brought a hand to his mouth, as if conveying a secret. "But I'll let you in on something kid. The Shadow Warrior isn't the biggest of your problems. We are."

Ranma's eyebrow rose in confusion as he stepped forward, putting himself between Zero and his allies. "We? There's only one of you."

The air beside Zero began to swirl and a man clad in robes teleported into being from some dark abysmal plane far beyond the normal reality. As he touched down onto the grass, it wilted beneath him. He smiled wickedly, his bright red eyes burning deep into Ranma's head. He almost looked like a normal person except for his face, which looked skeletal and nightmarishly twisted. His hood-cloaked face held off the sunlight much as a hat would but it failed to hide the fact that he had no hair. He wore a red caped hood, black gloves and black boots. His shirt and pants were also black, probably woven of expensive silk material. His sunken eyes continually scanned Ranma with interest. The individual's skin, from what little could be seen, was clearly dying and held an inhumanly white tint.

The smiled he presented was wider than a normal human could possibly have, exposing a mouth full of needle sharp teeth. _"Greetings. I'm Wraith." _

"What the hell do you two want?" Ranma took up combat stance, staring them down.

"_Why, we want you of course... you and your friends. Your strength is tremendous and will fit in well with my plan, as I had foreseen. Will you surrender peacefully or will we have to do this the hard way?"_

Ranma launched himself at this new opponent, fist outstretched. His attack failed to find its mark as Zero intercepted him, snapping a roundhouse kick that connected with his face, knocking his head to the side so hard that stars sprang up in his field of vision. He was sent spinning backwards into his crowd of guests, throwing the collective mass of stunned guests to the ground. Zero recovered from his counter-assault and stepped in front of his master, acting as a shield.

_ "I see you want this done the hard way. Don't think for an instant we'll be defeated as easily as that boy from China was. Zero, now is your time to have fun. I will continue to uphold my part of the bargain as I have promised. Just remember not to kill them." _

Wraith's body flew forward and then disappeared in the blink of an eye.

_He's travelin' too fast to be seen by the untrained eye, _Ranma noticed with horrified interest.

It was just like Toma had done when the two had fought in the tree chamber. With natural speed like that, it would be difficult to read his moves. In this state, Wraith could attack from any angle with little warning. Ranma grimly realized he could not defend against every avenue of attack at once.

The mysterious man grabbed onto Ranma's shoulder, picked him up from the throng of people and swung him around straight into the hard embrace of a nearby tree. Ranma quickly rebound kicking his legs out and flipped away, saving his face and landing on the ground in a defensive position.

_Great and on my birthday too!_

He sized his opponent up, gritting his teeth. A failed summersault kick proved Wraith was as agile a foe as he had ever fought. Gritting his teeth, Ranma gracefully recovered and dropped low, scanning the man for a moment of weakness in which he could attack. Negative energy permiated the air and Ranma realized it was this man whom he had seen a week ago.

Zero smiled gleefully and, raising his hands, shot two beams of power, enveloping all of Ranma's friends with its light. They struggled to move out the way and in his scared frenzy to move, Genma ran headlong into Ryoga, knocking him out of the targeted circle. The energy bathed the remaining warriors in gold then dimmed like a dying sun, shrinking inward. Ukyo barely had time to cry out when she and the others disappeared from the field in a blink of an eye.

Now it was only Ranma and Ryoga against the two unusual combatants.

"What the hell did you do with them!?" Ryoga snarled, rolling to his feet.

Zero laughed slightly. "Their alive... at least for the time being. Don't worry your fool head off. I merely teleported them back lord Wraith's castle in Germany following my instructions. I can see you don't like that! Why don't you come do something about i-"

Ryoga's fist connected with Zero's jaw, knocking the surprised man onto his back. "You talk too much!"

Zero cursed under his breath. He'd underestimated the kid's speed. He flipped to his feet, moved in close then flipped again. His toes connected with Ryoga's chin, sending the boy spiraling backwards. Zero was on his downed form in a second, throwing a magnitude of punches that could shatter bone. Bruises formed as Ryoga's forearms took the punishment with honed skill, protecting his vulnerable ribs and stomach.

Ranma was fairing slightly better in the engagement. He had finally landed a full powered punch into Wraith's unprotected stomach, doubling the man over. Wraith looked up from his hunched over position with burning anger. His eyes narrowed into slits, intensifying the red beams that burned like a nova inside his lenses.

"Don't take hits too well, do ya?" He brought his fist back then punched forward again but struck only air. Wraith was standing in front of him and yet Ranma's fist had gone right through him. The man's body looked transparent. Ranma was dumbstruck and the look on his face reflected that. Teleporting in the blink of an eye was a move he had seen done, but to stand in the threshold of another plane for a chosen amount of time was another subject all together.

"What the hell?" _He's teleported his body to another dimension or something'. That has to be it! The name Wraith suits him._

Wraith floated a few feet away then materialized again. The action looked like a man rising from the water. Energy from whatever dimension he switched to clung to his robes and body with each inter-dimensional jump only to dissipate into the atmosphere whenever re-materialization occurred.

_"Neat huh? Yes, you are right, I don't take hits well. I don't have to with the powers I possess. Your attacks cannot hurt that which isn't there. I'd stay like that too, except I can't fight while teleporting. I'm not like the other's you've fought! Don't underestimate me!" _

He launched forward again, clawed hands swinging like portable knives. He was fast, but Ranma was good at fast, and was probably even faster. There wasn't an opponent alive he couldn't keep up with.

"Chestnut fist!" Ranma successfully blocked every strike Wraith threw and landed one good face punch himself. The caped man was almost knocked off his feet from the action, but he recovered his center of balance with grace. Sickly red blood flew from his mouth as he righted his form. The liquid dribbled down his chin but he made no move to wipe it off. It felt nice, and warm against his ice cold skin. It was the warmth of life he longed to feel again.

_ "Ranma, Ranma, Ranma, don't you know the golden rule?" _His white teeth gleamed like a sharks. He had the sneaking suspicion they were even sharper too.

Wraith slid in close and with speed even greater than before, ensnared Ranma's neck, holding him high above the ground. Ranma hammer kicked the man's elbow, freeing his body a second later. Wraith gaped slightly. Clearly he hadn't expected Ranma to break free so quickly.

"I'll give you a golden rule! Moko Takabisha!"

The pig-tailed boy's attack, stronger than it had ever been before, hit Wraith dead in the chest. Yellow energy played over his body, causing nearby rocks and trees to shatter under the sonic force. Half of the park and the soccer field beyond were wiped out. Yet for all its insanely strong power, Wraith stood unmoving in the center of the beam, grinning with his arms crossed firmly over his chest.

_What the...? He wasn't thrown back from my attack_! Ranma upped the juice, straining with exertion. Unlike Taro who had managed to contain Ranma's attack, Wraith was just standing there letting it hit him dead on, easily taking everything the pig-tailed boy was dishing out. He didn't seem to have an invisible shield and he certainly hadn't fired a counter beam. Ranma couldn't figure out the angle Wraith was using, and that only infuriated him more so.

_ "Ranma, you cannot hurt me. My powers make me incapable of being hurt by someone like you." _

He walked out of the attack without a scratch and grabbed Ranma's hands, abruptly ending the convection of energy. A cold chill came over the boy. Wraith smelled of decay and death, like a rotting corpse long removed from its grave. Wraith's frail hands gripped him with more strength than he should have ever been able to use in his frail condition.

Ranma gritted his teeth, struggling to pull away. "This… isn't possible!"

Wraith got in Ranma's face and smiled, and the rotting smell trickled into Ranma's nostrils, instantly making him sick. _"The golden rule, Ranma, is that the good guy never wins the first round. Unfortunately for you, there will not be another."_

He put his hand on the boys chest and unleashed a black energy bubble around him. Enveloped, Ranma could do nothing but scream as his shaking body was bombarded with pulsing energy. The pain knocked him unconscious and his struggling body went limp as everything faded to black. Wraith grabbed him around the waist in one smooth motion, letting the fallen youth's prone arms and legs drag on the ground.

_ "Zero aren't you done playing yet?" _Wraith craned his neck around, watching his assistant with a small measure of interest.

Zero was having a harder time than he had first expected. Ryoga proved to be as strong as he was and almost as fast. Where Zero had more combat experience, the boy almost made up for it with tenacity. At the mention of his voice, Zero turned his head at the sound of his master's voice, committing a horrendous mistake. Ryoga took advantage of this distraction and slammed his finger into the ground, unleashing his most productive technique.

"Bakusai Tenketsu!"

Zero's eyes widened in surprise as he was thrown backwards by a ground tremor that was violent enough to rattle his teeth. He ended up on his rear with a stupid look of astonishment plastered onto his face.

Wraith chuckled, watching the events with something resembling pleasure. Zero wasn't used to being thrown off guard and when a warrior who thought himself invincible was proven otherwise, Wraith knew he was in for a show.

The American went on the offensive, snapping off a series of punches so strong it would widen the eyes of a heavy weight boxing champion. Ryoga gave ground nimbly, trying to find a few spare seconds to launch a Shishi Hoko Dan blast. But wherever he went Zero was there, effortlessly keeping pace in an attempt to wear out the younger fighter.

"You think you are so clever? No one has ever beaten me!" Fire fueled his attacks and a kick glanced against Ryoga's ribs, knocking him off balance. While his anger affected his judgement, it made his attacks stronger. One massive hand reached out and grabbed Ryoga, propelling him through a tree and into the ground. With one hand holding the boy down, the other, balled into a massive fist, cocked back to deliver the final blow.

Ryoga's foot intercepted Zero's face instead and bruised his chin. There was just enough power behind it to knock the man onto his back. Freed at last, Ryoga back-flipped into combat position.

With his offensive checked, Zero felt utterly humiliated. His eyes narrowed in barely controlled fury. To be shown up in front of Wraith was absolutely unacceptable. Rising to his feet, he stared Ryoga down, dropping into a low stance.

"You'll pay for that kid!" He snarled, flexing his massive arms as if he were lifting an invisible four hundred pound set of weights. He brought his hands together, charging up in the span of about five seconds. Ryoga saw this and franticly tried to bring up his ki to deflect the blast he knew was coming, but it was too late. Time slowed down to almost nil as fate set in.

_Oh no…_ His eyes widened in shock and horror.

"Final Attack: Breath of the Plains!" Zero threw out a huge ball of orange energy that collided with Ryoga's chest, throwing the lost boy backwards at a bone breaking pace. The attack knocked all the air out of his lungs and a stream of radiating energy jolted him, burning his body from the inside out. Blood erupted from his mouth like spit and a scream of rage and pain came seconds after. He fell unmoving into a small bush, struggling to remain conscious. Zero started towards his felled opponent with a smile on his face and his tomahawk in hand. He twirled the weapon of death fluidly with his fingers.

"No one has ever made me so mad in a match before." Zero planted his foot on top of Ryoga's chest, detaching the tomahawk and dangling the weapon downward, swinging it like a pendulum. He wanted the Lost Boy to see his death coming.

"You should be grateful really. No one has ever forced me to use that attack. I'll collect my viewer's fee in the form of your head.

The sound of sirens could be heard approaching as one of the other tenants on the other side of the park ran to direct the police towards the brawl. Growling, Wraith seemed to retreat further into the confines of his robes.

_"Zero, I've changed my mind. Leave him be. We cannot afford to spend any more time here. This one and his friends should provide more than enough energy for our purpose."_ He clutched Ranma's prone body tightly, like a newly found treasure. The faint sound of police sirens picked up in tempo.

Zero looked stricken. "But master, the battle isn't finished! I still..."

_ "Zero! My word is final!" _Wraith's eyes grew even redder than before.

Zero flexed his hand muscles around the tamahawk. He knew a hopeless battle when he saw one, stubborn as he was. He removed his foot and kicked Ryoga hard in the stomach, sending the boy flying into some nearby bushes. "Look like today's your lucky day kid."

_ "Let us retire. I find this country bothersome."_

Zero moved to stand close to Wraith and, with a flick of his bone-like hand, the lord teleported himself, Ranma, and Zero away in a chaotic beam of black power. The beam disappeared quickly, leaving energy residue behind that cracked the very ground into pieces as if it desired to open the way to hell.

A sudden wave of dizziness overcame Ryoga, and he collapsed into unconsciousness.


	11. Chapter 11: Ryoga and His Band of

Chapter 11: Ryoga and His Band of Underdogs

Ryoga groaned and woke up to someone shaking him roughly... too roughly! He stiffly sat up, rubbing his burning stomach and side as if the action would instantly remove the pain. _My side. Why is it always my side?_

Hiroshi and Daisuke stood in front of him, neither looking hurt at all. Zero's teleporting beam must have somehow missed them. Fighting another wave of dizziness, Ryoga leaned forward, suppressing the urge to vomit. Zero's attack had been highly disorientating and it took his swimming eyes precious seconds to focus properly.

"It's about time! We thought you would never wake up," Hiroshi said crossly.

"They're gone?" Ryoga's throat was dry. He painfully made his way to his feet, dusting off his clothing and steadying his buckling knees.

"Yeah. The two freaky guys left with Ranma and the others a few minutes ago. Speaking of which, the police will be here any minute."

"We need to go," Ryoga said, holding his side and looking for a way out of the park.

"What? Why?" Hiroshi scratched his head in puzzlement. "The police can help right?"

"Even with witnesses there's nothing to say that the police will believe this was anything more than some terrible prank or disturbance of the peace," Ryoga said quickly, breaking into a run. "And even if they wanted to help, there isn't much the police can do if our friends are now in Germany. Now come on, lead me out of this park!"

"But its just a bunch of wide open space," Daisuke cried. "How the hell can you be lost?"

"Shut up and move it!"

* * *

Once they were safely away, Ryoga got the rest of the story. Returning to Ukyo's store, Ryoga pointed to a nearby booth where they could catch their breath. More than anything he wanted to go after his friends right away but he knew that without a plan all he would be doing was uselessly spinning his wheels in the mud.

"And that's what happened. We hid in the bushes until it was safe to come out, that's why that beam missed us," Daisuke explained.

"My, what brave heroes…" Ryoga sighed, rubbing his temples, taking a sip from a glass of water.

"Hey, we aren't martial artists like you guys! What could we have done?" Hiroshi pointed out.

"Well, you're going to have to do something. I'm the only martial artist left. They said they were returning to Germany, right? What we need is a rescue party to go with me to rescue them!"

There was silence for a moment, then Hiroshi cleared his throat. "As in, go all the way to Germany to rescue them?"

"Yes."

"By ourselves? With absolutely no government or police help?"

"Yes."

"That's crazy!" Daisuke pounded his hands down onto the countertop, coming to the aid of his friend. "We're talking about Germany! As in Western Europe! It's half a world away, we have no way of getting there, and we don't speak the language! What could we possibly accomplish?!"

What choice do we have?" Ryoga countered. "They are in danger."

"Hence why we should notify the authorities," Daisuke insisted. "This is a situation for the two nations to work through diplomatically."

Ryoga stood up from the booth and paced for a minute, rubbing at his face. "Alright," he said, turning to face them. "So we get the authorities involved. Then, hopefully, the government will conduct talks and negotiations with Germany. How long could that take? A week? Two? Meanwhile the news agencies will be broadcasting rumors and facts all over the world. Even if we do manage to find where Wraith and Zero are, they would know by that point what was happening. If you had committed a crime and didn't want to get caught, what would you do?"

Hiroshi swallowed visibly. "Get rid of the evidence."

"Exactly!"

The two classmates looked at each other for a moment then sighed. "So what should we do?"

"What I want you to do is go around town and get anyone we know with any combat experience or special skills and bring them here. I'm going to have to make do with what you can find so I'm counting on you both to pick well. Our friends' lives depend on it."

"You aren't going to help us?" Hiroshi asked, folding his arms.

"I can," Ryoga conceded. "But I'd probably end up in Sapporo by the end of the night."

"Good point. You wait, we'll fetch."

The two left on their mission, leaving Ryoga to his thoughts. He sat down at the counter and quickly lost himself in thought, something he had been doing more and more lately. He kept his hand pressed close to his throbbing side and when the urge to puke grew too strong, he gave in, leaning forward and heaving. His body was rapidly recovering from the beating it had been given by Taro, but he wasn't back to one hundred percent strength yet. Zero's attack only served to knock him a few pegs lower in the healing scale. Inhaling deeply, he puked until there was nothing left in his stomach, and all he could achieve were dry heaves.

The sense of dread in his heart was greater than ever. Questions popped up into his head that he had no answers for. How on Earth was he going to rescue Ranma and his other friends with such a terrible sense of direction? The situation seemed hopeless at present. Germany, Zero had certainly said Germany. But where in the country was he at?

It was far more than just a geographical problem as well. On top of everything else, even if he did make it Germany, Ryoga would then have to face two strong enemies at only three quarters strength.

Getting up to grab a broom to clean up the mess he made, Ryoga couldn't shake the feeling that things were going to get even worse.

* * *

He was right.

"We're doomed!" Ryoga muttered, looking at the lanky crew standing before him. Hiroshi and Daisuke had returned grinning like mischievous cats, thinking they had done a good job. Behind them paraded in Hikaru Goshinkugi, Copycat ken, the Dojo Destroyer, and Principle Kuno stood around him with curious looks on their faces.

"_These_ are all that were available!?" Ryoga quietly asked in exasperation.

"Well, we tried looking up The 'Golden Pair', but they were out of town for a skating meet," Hiroshi whispered, shrugging. "But thinking on it, I'm not so sure they would have been much use outside of an ice rink anyways."

Ryoga sighed and looked heavenward, begging for help.

Everyone was looking at him expectantly so he composed himself by clearing his throat, stepping forward to address the assembled "warriors".

"Ok... Everyone, thank you for coming here on such short notice. We have a dire situation on hand and I require all of your assistance. Have you been briefed on what happened?"

There was a collective nod.

"Can I count on your help?"

"Where have the vile villains taken sweet Akane?" pale and skinny Hikaru asked.

"To Germany." A pause. "That's in Europe for all of you who didn't know. I can tell you all packed. Very good. We can start traveling immediately. I must warn you that this may be dangerous so anyone who doesn't want to come doesn't have to. Just speak up and head home. There will be no hard feelings."

"Aloha! How principle cut little Keiki's hair when he no at school?" Principle Kuno flashed a smile full of white teeth. Ryoga suddenly felt a well of pity for Kuno and Kodachi flood his brain. With a father like that, how could they be blamed for turning out like they had?

"Ummm, yeah, anyways, let's go. The sooner we leave the better! Our friend's lives are at stake!"

Ryoga turned to Hiroshi and Daisuke. "Thanks for your help guys. We'll be back as soon as we can."

Hiroshi smirked, putting his hands on his hips. "What are you nuts? We're coming with you!"

"It will be very dangerous," Ryoga reasoned. "I don't want to put either of you in danger. I'm not even sure how much good the others you brought will be. I can't afford to look out for you when the real fighting starts."

"We're coming," Daisuke said. "We are a part of this now. Don't worry, we'll find a way to be of use."

Ryoga hung his head. "Oh well, what's two more to this merry little band? Alright, let's go."

The group gathered up their things and headed off on their journey as fast as their legs could carry them. The first stop was the airport. If nothing else, Principle Kuno could make use of himself through cash.

Throughout time, traveling bands of heroes had repeatedly made history through rescues, exploration, or fearless conquest. Bands of men had toppled governments, won seemingly hopeless battles, and forged mighty nations. Many bands of soldiers or mercenaries had fearlessly rushed to their objective, making fame in their accomplishments that the world would remember for generations to come. They were skilled and seemingly invincible in battle and their determination was legendary.

This would not be one of those bands.

* * *

Ranma awoke with a groan, placing his hand to his aching head. He slowly opened his eyes, wincing as bright light flooded his vision. Disorientated, he rubbed his eyes and sat up. _Where am I? _

He tried to remember what had happened, running through the last few memories in his mind like a slide show. _That's right! Wraith attacked me with some kinda' move and knocked me out! Akane and the others were kidnapped!_

He bolted upright and looked around. There wasn't much light, but from what he could see from the candle's on the wall, they were in some kind of cell below ground. The air felt stagnant and trapped.

"Oh, thank goodness you're awake! Everyone! Come here!" Akane said, coming over to him. The others did too, forming a half circle around the groggy fighter. Happy whispers were exchanged from different members of the group. So often in the past he had served as the foundation the group had stood on. They depended on him, and cheered for him. With him awake morale climbed. After all, Ranma always came to the rescue. There was nothing he couldn't beat to save them.

"What the...!? They got all of you guys?" Ranma looked back and forth, a look of stunned disbelief etching itself on his face.

"Yes, Ranma. They covered us in a teleportation spell before we could react. The next thing we knew, we were in this dungeon. They brought you in here a few minutes later." Cologne studied the room as she spoke, apparently testing it for exploitable weaknesses by tapping with her staff.

"Where's Ryoga?" Ranma exclaimed, noticing he wasn't there.

"We don't know," Akane said. Her eyes shone with silent fear. "Hiroshi and Daisuke aren't here either. They must have escaped being captured somehow."

"Ryoga will come rescue us!" Ukyo said, clasping her hands together. "He doesn't abandon his friends."

"He will try to help...if he is still alive." Happosai folded his arms. Everyone shot him an evil glare and Soun had to restrain Akane from issuing him a severe beating on the spot.

Unnecessary as his comment was, it still possessed a measure of realism. Ryoga wasn't here which meant he could very well have been beaten in battle. Given the Lost Boy's stubborn nature, it was unthinkable that he would simply have retreated and let the capture go on when Ranma had fallen.

"Well, I don't believe that for a second! Ryoga is alive and I'm sure he's coming for us," Ukyo said with determination.

"Yeah, but how many years will it take?" Ranma sighed, rubbing his temples. "Remember, this _is_ Ryoga we're talking about."

This fact dawned on everyone and their shoulders slumped. A rescue from Ryoga would take him months or maybe even years. That option was instantly ruled out. Their only chance was to break out from the inside and stage a getaway. But that wouldn't be possible until he knew more about where they were and who the enemy really was.

Ranma turned to Cologne and Happosai, attempting to draw everyone's mind away from his earlier statement. "Hey you two, what can you tell me about this Wraith guy?"

Cologne fidgeted. "Sorry, Ranma. My expertise most lies in the Orient, not Western countries. This man is as much of a mystery to you as he is to me. What about you, Happi?"

Happosai began to look nervous and he fidgeted a moment, trying to think of what to say.

A door opened nearby, saving him from having to apply.

Wraith stepped into view before them, flanked by to guards dressed from head to toe in ceremonial armor_. "I trust you find your accommodations acceptable?" _

"Perfectly," Happosai muttered. "Come on in here and I'll show you how grateful we are." Cologne tapped him with her staff.

_"Welcome to Castle Köhler my friends. I apologize for the harsh treatment, but there really was no other way to get you here. I'm quite certain a please wouldn't have sufficed."_

"I thought your name was Wraith?"

The lord turned to Akane. _"It is. I took the name of what I became."_ He gestured to himself for emphasis. _"However, in a better day I was Lord Köhler."_

At the mention of this name, Happosai began to sweat bullets.

"What do you want with us?" Mousse exclaimed angrily, coming forward to grip the bars.

_"Unfortunately, I'm not ready to reveal my plans just yet. Sufficient to say, I will need your help, willing or unwilling, cooperation or not. All will be revealed in time. For the moment, I just wanted to come down here and see you all for myself. You are quite the mixed bag, aren't you?"_

"Don't underestimate us," Soun warned, hugging Nabiki and Kasumi comfortingly. "There are plenty of warriors here other than just Ranma and Mouse. You have us to deal with! Not to mention ancient masters like Cologne and Master Happosai!"

When he heard his name being called out Happosai's eyes shot open and he gestured wildly for Soun to shut up, waving his hands to get his student's attention then crossing his hands to form a large "X" in the air.

_"Happosai?"_ Wraith peered at the large cell frantically. _"Did you say Happosai?!"_

Everyone turned their eyes to Happosai and the master stopped gesturing and deflated, hunching his shoulders forward as he sighed with resignation. "That's me."

Wraith was practically giddy. _"Why Master Happosai! What an honor it is to finally meet you. I'd not imagined in a million years you would be involved in this. Forgive my ill manners. We will have you out of that cell in but a moment."_

He gestured to one of the guards who pulled out a pair of keys and opened the cell while the other shouldered an assault rifle and aimed it at anyone else who dared to approach. Gesturing emphatically, Happosai wiped the sweat off of his face and sighed again, exiting the cell as it locked behind him.

"Hey Freak!" Ranma yelled, gripping the bars. "Why am I not surprised this involves you?! What gives!"

"Join me in my chambers for refreshment," Wraith said to the diminutive master, ignoring Ranma's outburst.

All eyes watched the old man as he stepped into freedom. Everyone who knew Happosai well was sure he would use that moment to knock out the guards and run off. Instead, the master followed Wraith like a beaten puppy. A long look occupied his face, as if he couldn't bear to bring his eyes up from the ground.

It was enough to grab Soun's attention. _Guilt?_

Being ignored only made the boy angrier and he tried to wrench the bars open to get at Happosai, reaching out with his hand. "Get back here!"

"I wouldn't bother," one of two guards said, planting the butt of his rifle through the bars and knocking Ranma backwards. "These bars are made of reinforced Titanium. Good luck bending that. Sit down and behave yourself or you'll see our truly hospitable side."

_"Fear not Ranma. We will have plenty of time to talk later."_ Wraith, Happosai, and one of the two guards disappeared from view. And up into the upper levels of the castle. Enraged, Ranma shrugged off the hand of his father and gripped the bars again.

"You better have a good explanation for this old man!"

* * *

Apart from the small dungeon area at the bottom of the castle, the entire establishment was kept in pristine condition kept so by a team of at least thirty maids and butlers. It was every bit as much a museum as it was a home and more than one treasure from Europe's past came into Happosai's view as he followed Wraith's purposeful walk down the main corridor.

In truth he paid little heed to his surroundings. He didn't have to. This was not his first time in Castle Köhler.

The second guard was joined by a trio of ninja and all of them walked behind Happosai, watching for tricks. This was unexpected. Happosai hadn't expected to see ninja in a decadent German castle.

Wraith threw open the doors to his personal chambers with as much vigor as his condition would allow. Pulling a large wooden oak chair away from his desk, he turned and sat, crossing his legs comfortably.

He gestured to one of the guards._ "A chair and some pillows for our guest."_

"Not necessary," Happosai said.

_"Some wine then?"_

"No, thank you."

_"Very well."_

The guards closed the door and stood in front of it, effectively trapping themselves in the room with one of the most powerful martial artists of the last three hundred years. Yet none of them looked worried. On the contrary, Wraith seemed absolutely jubilant. He leaned forward in his chair and issued a bright smile. Unfortunately to the old man, instead of looking friendly, it looked like the grinning skull of a long forgotten skeleton.

_"To think after five generations I would be the one to finally meet you. I must say you are looking very spry for a 300 year old. I trust you've used some kind of secret martial arts technique that extends your life?"_

"Yes. Something like that."

Wraith nodded with what appeared to be sincere admiration and accepted an offered glass of wine from one of the three guards. He reclined casually, sipping from the glass before gently placing it on the desk beside him. He sized up the little master with his unholy red eyes.

_"I assume, as the catalyst of this entire situation, you do remember the past and what has happened to my family line, yes?" _

Happosai nodded.

_"I see. Do allow me to get right to the point then. I seek a cure for this condition of mine before it kills me. As the one who introduced it to my family, I would like you to cure it."_

Happosai stiffened. "I see."

Wraith gestured wide. _"If you help me, I will release you and your friends and pay for first class air fare to send all of you back home to Japan. And that is not the extent of my generosity. I can reward you handsomely. Riches, women, whatever you desire. Such is the willingness I am prepared to show for one small act of kindness. I am prepared to make any sacrifice."_

Happosai's gaze scanned the room and he fixed his eyes on the portrait of a beautiful blonde girl wearing a lovely red dress. He wondered if it was a past girlfriend or partner of Wraith or perhaps some member of his family. Clearly the elegant painting was important to the lord or it would not be hanging on the wall of his personal chamber.

"There is no dishonor in making a sacrifice to preserve one's health."

Wraith leaned forward, smiling. _"We have an accord then?"_

"No."

Wraith recoiled in shock. _"No?"_

"No," Happosai repeated, wishing more than anything he still had his pipe. A good smoke would have helped to calm his nerves. "I cannot help you."

_"You refuse to cure me then?"_

Happosai sighed and finally lifted his head to look Wraith in the eye. "I did not say I would not. I said I _could_ not. There is absolutely no cure for the darkness that plagues you."

Wraith seemed to deflate instantly. _"I've tried every cure known to man. Medicine and consultations with doctors from around the world, scientific experimentation, and even ventures into religious and occult practices. Nothing has worked."_

"When the darkness has its hold on you, there is no escaping it," Happosai said with finality. "It led to the sad fate of your forefathers, and it will be your demise as well."

He ran a hand across his wrinkled face. "I'm very sorry."

Wraith stood up and pushed back his chair angrily. _"Sorry are you? Don't play me for a fool Happosai. It will not go well for you or your friends. I can assure you of that_." He leveled one long finger at the master._ "I think it is not that you cannot cure me, but rather chose not to. I do not know why you bear such a grudge against my family but surely even you can admit that the curse you extended to us was unfair, especially when we gave you food and shelter!"_

"You do not understand," Happosai responded sadly. "Your great great grandfather insisted I teach him the dark art. His 'generous' offer of food and shelter became forced captivity. His kindness became outrage and his words turned into malice, much as yours are now. I was left with little choice."

_"I'm well aware of what he did,"_ Wraith snapped, curling his hands into tight fists. _"I just want to undo it! I want my life back."_

Happosai was silent for a moment. He really wanted his pipe. "I've harbored a lot of guilt for what I agreed to do, those two hundred plus years ago. I bear the brunt of the responsibility for cursing your family. I absolutely do not deny that. For years afterwards I tried to find a cure, only to discover none exists. Then I thought that I could return and somehow make amends. However, I saw first-hand what your family wanted to do when I came back to Germany during your grandfather's life time. There is a malicious brand of ambition in your family. Every member I've read up on since the days of your great great grandfather has shown themselves to be a man who would stop at nothing to gather power."

_"What do you expect?! The curse-"_

"No," Happosai cut him off with a raise of his hand. "It is not the curse. You cannot use that as an excuse when we both know better. Your family has always been cruel. The darkness only enhanced that cruelty to malevolence."

_"My family has welded great power since the days of the Holy Roman Empire,"_ Wraith said with pride. _"The strong deserve to rule and what has kept us powerful is our ability to be adaptive. It is how our powerbase survived the great European depression of the 1920s. It is how we survived the downfall of Hitler and the subsequent destruction of our nation. It is how we survived over forty years of Soviet occupation."_

"Spare me the history lesson Wraith. Your family survived by covertly enslaving the German peoples to your will. Historical polish aside, you are more malicious than your predecessors, from what I've read. No Wraith, I cannot cure you. And to be truthfully honest, even if I could, I no longer thing I would."

_"Then you will suffer for it, as will your friends. I will make you discover a cure."_

"What makes you think I care about any of those fools in the dungeon below?" Happosai challenged with a rebellious smile. "What makes you think I won't defeat you right here and now and escape?"

The guards, upon hearing the verbal challenge, prepared for battle.

Wraith only laughed. _"You know this curse of mine. Therefore, you know that there is absolutely no way you could ever defeat me. Even if you did somehow escape, I know what you look like now. I would hunt you down for the remainder of your days."_

Wraith sat back down again._ "Furthermore, I've done my homework. The students in the dungeon are the caretakers of your Anything Goes Martial Arts legacy. You won't abandon them and destroy the school you've worked to create. Besides, if you somehow escaped all I have to do is press a button on my desk here and a controlled detonation will bring the eastern wing of the castle down on their heads."_

Happosai paled. Even the greatest of martial artists couldn't defend against thousands of tons of rock falling on their heads with absolutely no warning. "You would go that far?"

_"There is no such thing as going too far for revenge,"_ Wraith replied with a cruel smile.

Happosai's confidence deflated. "I won't try to run."

_"Very sensible, old man. I'll keep you all in that dungeon until you either have a change of heart or another plan comes to mind. Perhaps when your companions realize their present condition is your fault you'll have a change of heart."_

The German lord motioned to the guards. _"Take this fool back to his friends. I've wasted enough time on him."_

It wasn't until Happosai was escorted out and Wraith was left alone that he violently threw the wine glass against the far wall. Glass and wine splattered across the room as his unearthly howl spilled out into the grand hallways beyond.

* * *

While he was gone, Ranma had tried to search the cell for weaknesses to exploit. The walls were steel plated and the windows were bared and rigged with a nasty shocker system that came to life whenever someone touched the bars. Ranma found that out from experience a few minutes later.

The environment Happosai discovered upon returning to his cell could only be described as barely contained hostility. All eyes were again on him as he was let back into the cell. He immediately went to one of the corners and sat down. He made no effort to talk about his conversation with Wraith. This caused Ranma to bristle with annoyance.

It was Cologne who spoke up first with a tone that was gently commanding. "I think it would be best for everyone if you filled us in on the details Happi. If you can tell us anything that will help us out in this situation, then I suggest you start talking."

Happosai closed his eyes and nodded. "This entire situation is my fault."

"I knew it!" Ranma reached out to grab the old man but Cologne smacked his hand away. Looking at her in annoyance she simply shook her head and brought a finger to her lips.

Happosai's eyes shrunk a bit and his face hardened. It was a sign he was about to release some long hidden information. "To understand this situation, you must understand the man behind it. Wraith isn't actually one man anymore. He's a collection of dead European nobles that were all part of his line."

Cologne stared at him. "Happosai… that sounds like the Línghún bǎng ding technique. Tell me you didn't…"

Happosai looked away and nodded slowly.

Cologne, Shampoo, and Mousse all gave Happosai disgusted looks.

"What's this ling bang thing?" Nabiki asked.

"Basically, it's a soul binding technique. It's a dark art of our people. Happosai stole some scrolls on how to perform it back in his youth." Cologne seemed to grow several times her normal size as the scope of her anger set in.

"It is bad enough you betrayed me and my people. But on top of that, I can't believe you actually taught someone how to use that technique! You knew it was a curse! The darkness unleashed by it cannot be controlled!"

Now it was Ranma who had to restrain her. The ancient Chinese matriarch looked absolutely ready to kill Happosai. Ranma had only seen her that angry once before when he'd formally broken off the one sided engagement to Shampoo.

"Now now everyone," Nadoka said. She rose to her feet and took on the mantle of peacekeeper within the group. "Let's calm down and hear him out."

Nodding in thanks, Happosai continued. "The first male heir of each generation undergoes a rigorous training experience that lets him connect with the spirits in the afterlife, and merge with them. Their spirits give him a greater strength in martial arts, stronger attacks, a wiser mind, and faster reflexes. In short, everything his past ancestors had is now his to use as he sees fit. The price is that the current lord has to join mind with the spirits of his ancestors. They remain until there until the day he dies and then he joins them."

Ranma looked from Cologne to Shampoo and lastly to Mousse. The three of them all had had an uncomfortable look on their face. He wondered if perhaps this technique had caused some kind of tragic event within the Amazon tribe at some point in its history. Perhaps they were simply ashamed to have discovered such a terrible technique to begin with.

"Besides having no cure, there are other disadvantages that you may have noticed," Happosai continued. "First off, Wraith's body has a slightly demonic look to it, including his red eyes and thin, gaunt form. This is caused by the darkness released by the curse as it slowly consumes his life force. Second, his body cannot take much punishment and becomes more and frailer as the years progress. And lastly, but perhaps the most serious of all, his life span is cut in half. His essence is draining far faster than it normally would. The spirits inside of him are part of the blackest of energies and require his very life to nourish themselves. If they did not, the bond between the current ruler and his ancestors would cease to be."

"Creepy..." Ranma muttered, rubbing at the goose bumps that arose on his skin. "Why the hell would anyone want a curse like that?"

"Wraith's great great grandfather offered me food and shelter when I was traveling across Asia in my younger days. When we were drinking together I let information slip. The old man wanted to live on and the only way he could was by binding his soul to those of his descendants. He had me imprisioned and starved until I relented. Wraith and his predecessors were simply poor souls who are bearing the brunt of a twisted old lord's ambition."

Everyone looked at one another with varying degrees of skepticism.

"What kind of man would do something like that?" Kodachi shuttered.

"Me thinks our twisted father would, sister-mine."

"Oh for the love of… entertain that thought no longer brother!"

"I feel bad for him," Kasumi said, her expression pained.

"Ha! Don't. Wraith is a powerful and twisted man who only cares about surviving for the sake of gathering power. He has connections from the Imperial Palace to the White House. He literally controls Germany will an iron grip and elected officials actually come to him before they make their decisions. Of course this isn't public knowledge. Most people only know him as a respected but mysterious royal figurehead, much like the Queen of England."

Happosai looked at Ranma dead on. "Be careful, his strengths are many. His body is eternally connected to the flow of ki so he never needs to power up to use an attack. Also, any energy attack you use won't even sting him. The power of the curse is far too potent."

Ranma nodded, processing all this. "Who is this other guy with the scar under his eye?"

The little master was at a loss. "Hired muscle? A loyal servant? Who knows. I've never seen or heard of him before."

"Master," Genma went to stand over his master. "Did this man mention what he plans to with us?"

"No. he didn't reveal any of his plans. But I can guarantee it won't be pleasant."

Conversation died off and the group seemed to retreat into their own little world.

"Shampoo scared." The girl trembled slightly despite her best efforts to remain calm. Mousse draped his arm protectively around her shoulders, hugging her tightly. Kuno sat against the wall beside Sasuke, mumbling some sort of inspiring poem. His sister rested her head on his shoulder, trying to keep it together. Kasumi, ever productive, was sweeping the floors with the remnants of a broken broom, trying to keep the place as spotless as possible, and Nabiki was staring out of the window at the full moon up in the night's sky.

Everyone's heart was heavy, everyone except for Soun who looked down at Happosai in sheer fury. "Master, again your actions have put my family in danger. If anything happens to my little girls as a result I swear you will answer for it."

Shocked and humbled, the little master could do little other than lower his head and shed tears of shame for his past mistakes.

Ranma sighed, taking Ukyo's and Akane's hand in his own and squeezing reassuringly. No matter what, he wouldn't let his friends be hurt. He knew he couldn't defeat Wraith on his own but he would keep his eyes open for a way to help them escape. A martial artist never gave up after all.

He'd been in tight spots before and survived. He would do so again.

* * *

Team Ryoga made it to the Narita airport roughly two hours after they set out on their journey. They quickly boarded a plane bound for Germany thanks to donations coerced from Principle Kuno. The group had been stared at in wonder by fellow passengers, especially the Dojo Destroyer who took up an entire row of seats with his massive girth. Complaints from fellow passengers were instantly stifled with just one look from his beady eyes. As ridiculous as he looked, one simply didn't argue with a man who stood over eight feet tall.

He put the picture away and focused on his group. Hiroshi, Daisuke, and himself were sitting in first class. Principle Kuno, Copycat Ken, and Goshinkugi were fighting over the last open seat in first class, as none of them wanted to sit in coach.

A massive fart had torn through the read cabin as the Dojo Destroyer once again announced himself to the world in a less than dignified manner. Flight attendants had fled in distress.

"Bad kekie! Show respect to the boss man, yah! Gimmie dat' seat or its detention for ya when we get back!" He shoved the skinny little nerd. "Besides, I bought all the tickets, ya!"

"No way!" Copycat Ken chimed in, vying for the seat as well. "The Dojo Destroyer is back there, and he smells bad!"

This was certainly the thought of the fellow passengers. Loud coughs and gasps could be heard from behind them in the coach as the Destroyers painful gas seeped throughout the airplane. Goshinkugi slipped past the Principles arms and sat in the seat, grinning broadly. A flight attendant cheerfully showed a furious Principle Kuno to a seat in the back, holding her breath all the while.

Ryoga couldn't help but smile as he watched their antics. This group was the most difficult band of people he had the displeasure to work with, and yet, he knew they would all prove their use at one point or another. Some help was better than no help after all. Besides, undertaking this mission by himself would have been suicide.

He pulled out a small map of Germany and handed it to Hiroshi, his official map reader. Getting to Germany was going to be easy; finding the location where Wraith took his friends was another matter entirely.

"I think Wraith will be in a castle," Daisuki said.

Ryoga blinked. "Wouldn't that be a little… oh I dunno, obvious?"

"It's every villains flaw!" the student surmised. "They always stay in big fancy, noticeable places! Trust me!"

Germany had a lot of castles, but it would be a great deal easier looking through several dozen castles then searching for an elusive underground hideout, or warehouse.

The boy had a brain-stimulating point, Ryoga conceded silently. Why did the villains always pick the places that stood out the most as their centers of operation anyways? Was it a flaw in their egos or did they believe that the best place to hide was in the open? Or was it simply that Wraith stayed in his ancestral home because he believed he had nothing to fear? Of the choices, Ryoga was betting on the latter.

The plane took off soon after, and Ryoga reclined in his seat, pulling the window flap down so he could take a nap. Relaxing, he blocked out the sounds of his fighting party members and drifted in and out of sleep over the next couple of hours. He would need his strength for the battle to come.


	12. Chapter 12: The Price of the Cure

Chapter 12: The Price of the Cure

After his fruitless conversation with Happosai Wraith had holed up in his room and not come out for over twenty four hours. Annoyed, Zero had finally had enough of the man's childish pouting and gone to check in, knocking and entering without permission. He immediately saw Wraith sitting in the heavy wooden chair he'd occupied the day before.

Zero brought a hand to cover his nose. Despite the cleaning crew's best efforts to conceal the odor of Wraith's condition, the room felt like a hotbed of decay. He resolved to make his visit a short one.

'What are you planning on doing with our guests?" he inquired.

_"Apparently there is no cure for my condition, if Happosai's words hold any measure of truth. Still… there is hope. I have my own form of a cure."_

Zero waited a moment for Wraith to continue. When an explanation did not come, he gestured impatiently. "And that is?"

_"In a few days scientists and equipment will arrive. I will harvest the energy from these powerful warriors and use it to stave off death. With enough energy, it could buy me at least ten years of life."_

"Do our guests know that?"

Wraith gave him a withering look. _"Don't be a fool, if they did then nothing would stop them from trying to escape and they would die. I want them in the dark and well fed. Starting tomorrow we'll drug their food. A sedated enemy is a powerless enemy."_

Zero nodded. "I'll see to it."

Wraith stood up and glided over to his subordinate. _"What troubles you Zero? Is it your unfinished fight with that boy back in Japan?"_

Zero wondered if his emotions were truly so transparent. "I just don't like leaving loose ends. He could be a threat to your plans."

Wraith threw his head back and laughed. _"He couldn't handle you, much less both of you. According to one of your reports he has a terrible sense of direction. Even if he somehow did make it to Germany, how would he find us in time? We are safe."_

"I suppose you are right," Zero admitted grudgingly.

Wraith put his hand on Zero's shoulder and the large man instantly wished he were somewhere else. It felt like the skin under the lord's hand was burning. _"Don't worry. When this is all over I'll let you hunt him down. Problem solved."_

Satisfied, Zero nodded and retreated from the room, quickly closing the door behind him. The tomahawk at his side bumped into his leg as if alive, asking for blood. Giving the weapon a reassuring pat, the martial artist couldn't wait for his tenure as Wraith's pawn to finally be over.

* * *

Ryoga rubbed his eyes in disbelief as he stared out as Germany stretched on before him from the glass window outside of the airport. It couldn't be true. He pinched himself hard, knowing it had to be an illusion, a trick on his mind. No, it had to be fate toying with his emotions. That could be the only explanation. He pinched his skin harder. As the mild pain coursed through his arm, the sight before him didn't fade into a hazy mist. It wasn't a dream after all. He had for one of the few times in his life, gotten exactly where he wanted to go in the appropriate amount of time. For once, luck was on his side.

True all he'd needed to do was ride in an airplane, but the elation infected his mind all the same. He'd take it however he could.

Ryoga took a small picture of Ukyo's smiling face from his wallet. As he stared at it, the lines of his face hardened in determination. _I'm coming for you Ukyo! Zero and Wraith be damned! Nothing is going to stop me from saving you._

"Are we going to get a move on or simply stare at the tree line all day?" Copycat Ken called from the back of the group.

"We're moving out now," Ryoga called back, shouldering his pack. "Uh… does anyone have any idea of where to start looking?

The group exchanged looks.

Ryoga's good mood grew wings and fluttered out into the clouds.

A pretty woman dressed in a dark business suit walked by in heels that clicked on the floor as she walked. Smirking, Copycat Ken transformed and assumed her form before turning back to the crowd and gave a disturbingly saucy wink. "Let the master work his magic. I'll have the information you need in no time!"

* * *

Ranma awoke to the sound of the rusty dungeon door being opened. Gently he roused a sleeping Akane and rose to his feet. A look of defiance played across his face. It was all he could do to rebel against the current situation. It was a way to show your enemy that you do not intend to give up. To those around him it was a beacon they could cling to and draw strength from.

Unfortunately, Zero was completely unimpressed by Ranma's routine.

"Enough of the desperate hero bit. Get up you two." He gestured to Ranma and Akane. "Lord Wraith wishes to speak with you and I won't let you keep him waiting."

The older man held the door open and the pair walked out single file. Zero was not alone which showed he possessed at least an ounce of cunning in his ox-like brain. A dozen-armed guard flanked the group from two sides, destroying Ranma's hope of a quick escape. They could rush their captors but even if they defeated them all and escaped from this particular section of the castle, they certainly wouldn't make it out of Germany alive. A man like Wraith surely had many connections and contingency plans within the German populous.

Temporarily thwarted, Ranma chose instead to study where they were going and what their surroundings looked like. It really was a beautiful castle he admitted to himself begrudgingly. Every window was draped with expensive red silk curtains that probably cost as much as half the Tendo household. The floors on which they walked were made of cut marble that shone with magnificence. Various mounted tapestries dotted the walls, some oriental, some more European. It was an interesting blend of cultural taste that reveled just a tad more about Wraith's overall personality.

They passed the main dining area and Ranma could see stain-glassed windows and a huge wooden table that could probably seat over fifty people. The sheer beauty of the rooms he saw on the forced tour was beyond words. Wraith truly belonged to a class unto himself.

Two guards opened a pair of twelve-foot doors leading to what Ranma guessed was some sort of meeting room. Wraith stood near the corner staring at them with interest, gauging their reactions from deep within. As always, his face was nearly invisible due to the shadows that seemed to hover around him. His slightly hunched form gave him the appearance of folding in on himself, as if his stomach were a black hole. He waved his hand and two guards appeared out of nowhere and shut the curtains.

_ "Forgive me for making it darker then you are used to, my friends. I find the light severely annoying. To suffer under the power of the light is the price a demon must pay for his power." _

His glowing red eyes dimmed somewhat and he sighed with contentment as the room darkened.

Akane immediately focused on his dress in order to avoid looking into those terrible red eyes. She noted that he was dressed more formally then he had been before, more like an emperor from her world history textbook than a normal aristocrat. He still wore his black gloves and boots, but his shirt and pants were more and decorated and looked like a cross between a business suit and a tux. He wore a gold pendant around his neck of what Ranma guessed was his family seal.

Ranma turned his head to the side and saw Zero moving to guard the door. Once again his hope of escape was snatched away.

_ "I'm sure you all have many questions you would like to ask, but I can only entertain a few. Time is very short. First, allow me to formally introduce myself. I am Damiris Van, Köhler, lord of this castle. Please, just call me Wraith. There is no need for formality."_

"Save it," Ranma snarled. "What the hell do you want to talk about?"

"I merely wanted to chat. Pass the time. _I'm sure Master Happosai has told you all about me but allow me to expand on his information a bit. I shall be blunt and to the point. Despite my impressive powers, I am dying. With every gift there is a price, as they say. The very dark souls that give me power are draining my essence away._

_ "I have over the years, involved myself in many organizations both legal and illegal. In another year, the White House and much that goes on inside will be made known to me, making it just one of thirty two countries I have a direct part of. In short my friends, we are talking slow domination of this beautiful world. Followers flock to me from all corners of the globe in small numbers at a time, joining my underground organization. _

He palmed a small globe that lay on one side of his desk._ "Global domination in a sense! Not direct control perhaps, but to be the force behind most of the powerful nations on the planet would be close enough. It's all within my grasp. There is just one problem that haunts me. This body must be cured before I can garnish the strength I need to make my dreams come true."_

_ "You two and some of your friends are clearly martial artists. Perhaps, I venture to say, the best the world has known. Your skills involving ki are noticeable and impressive. It acted as a beacon, drawing me to Japan to find you. I seek to tap into that power you possess. I need to harness it and beat back the dark powers that are eating at my soul, hopefully curing myself once and for all of this terrible aliment."_

"So you need power, big deal. Why did you bother to kidnap us and bring us here? If you needed power you could have asked us. Not that we'd help you with your totally unoriginal scheme anyways, but the point is, this was all unnecessary." Ranma rose to his feet.

_ "I'm afraid you don't understand. I need the very life energy that takes root in your bodies...your souls, to be more precise. When deprived of this energy, a person cannot continue to live. I know what a sacrifice I am forcing you all to make but I assure you it is absolutely necessary. With your essence acting as a cure, I will live a strong life, far stronger than that of a normal man. I will live long enough to rule over my world for many decades to come."_

"So by taking our soul power you're going to be killing us?" Akane choked out.

_ "That is correct young lady. But if it is any conciliation, you won't feel the slightest bit of pain. It will be just like going to sleep only you will never wake up again._"

"What kind of monster are you?!" Ranma snarled, trying to shoulder his way forward. More guards appeared, holding the youth back. Zero stood up straight, tightening his body in case he had to suddenly attack.

Ranma raised his fist, preparing to strike anyways. "There's no way I'm going to let you kill my friends!"

Two ninja like guards rushed forward to hold the berserk youth back, pinning his arms to his sides. "None of us are going to die! You hear me!? I will kill you before I let you harm my friends!" Ranma snarled, reaching for his rarely sought source of rage lying dormant in the center of his soul. He broke free and knocked the guards away, preparing to tackle Wraith when a fist crashed against the back of his neck, sending the boy reeling. Zero grabbed the boy and pinned his arms behind his back.

"Ranma!" Akane tried to rush over to his side but she suddenly collapsed as a wave of fatigue hit her like a freight train. Undetered, she continued to try to reach him by crawling on the ground as the room began to spin.

_ "Well done, Zero."_

"Damn it!"Ranma shook his head, attempting to clear it as spots appeared in front of his vision.

_"Do you know why I told you all that Ranma?"_ Wraith inquired. When he received no answer he continued on anyways_. "It is because I wanted you to know that Happosai is as fault. He bears the blame for what you are now experiencing. And I only told you because soon you won't be able to do anything about it. We drugged all of your meals this morning."_

Ranma blinked again, now seeing double. He shook his head but nothing he did seemed to work. Suddenly the room started to spin. He tried to break free but his body felt like lead and it was all he could do to remain standing on his own two feet.

_ "Take them back to their cell and keep them sedated. We will perform the energy transportation three days from now as soon as the final equipment needed arrives in country. See to it they are kept comfortable until that time."_

Orders given, Wraith strode out of the chamber with a pair of armed guards at his side.

"Give me any trouble and I'll kill the girl." Zero walked out of the room with the two in tow, prodding Ranma when he stubbornly refused to move. Returning to the basement, he pushed them both into the cell and watched them collapse as the full effect of the drug took effect. The boy and girl slumped to the floor and joined the others who had already fallen victim and were now either sleeping or simply staring lifelessly up at the ceiling.

He smiled sardonically. "I guess everyone has their destiny." There was no amount of pity or sadness in his voice. It was frustrating enough to hear a lack of humanity in his tone that even Kasumi would have wanted to do nothing more than to smack him, if she had only been conscious..

* * *

"Ryoga, are you sure we're going the right way?!" Daisuke asked.

Copycat Ken's inquiry around the airport while posing as a sexually frustrated secretary had yielded impressive results. It had taken considerable time and effort but the teen had come through with some great information lifted from a low level government worker returning from a long commute and desiring a physical pick me up. Thanks to his hormones, Team Ryoga now knew the lord's sirname and that he had luxurious estates throughout the country. However, it seemed his main castle was in Hamburg and it was there the group was now headed.

However, that was as far as their luck got them. Someone paid from Wraith's coffers had picked up on the fact that foreiners were inquiring as to the lord's whereabouts. A frustrating and erie situation quickly arose after there where every form of transportation the group tried to arrange for the trip to Hamburg ended in failure. No cab would take them and when asked, the drivers sped off. Every bus they tried to board all developed some sort of convenient breakdown. In desperation, Team Ryoga had tried to board the bullet train that would take them to their destination in little more than an hour. No sooner had they boarded than an announcement had come over the loud speaker that an accident had occurred on the track some miles ahead and that all passengers had to disembark while the damage was cleared and the tracks were repaired.

None of them were fooled. Rather, the coordination and skill at which their every effort was blocked only showed the stunned Japanese group just how powerful Wraith was in his native country.

"It can't be helped," Ryoga sighed as they exited the train. "We go on foot."

"It will take us weeks to get there," Daisuke protested.

"Do we have another option? Hikaru countered.

"It will take us days," Ryoga corrected. "We walk from dawn to dusk."

"Damn it," Hiroshi grumbled. "I knew I should have worn my hiking shoes…"

* * *

Ranma slammed his fist into the iron wall, ignoring the dull aching pain it produced as he fought against the powerful effect of whatever drug had been pumped into his system. His anger cut into the fog that sought to envelop his mind. No one had the right to just sweep in and take away lives, he thought. It just wasn't right!

Wraith seemed to have thought of everything from escape proof devices to armed guards. He turned around and found all eyes were on him. "Akane, Pop, Ukyo...all of you. I won't let them do this to you!"

Ukyo sat in the corner and sighed, thinking of Ryoga. "He'll never know what happened to me. He'll wander around forever blaming himself and there's nothing I can do about it." Small tears trickled down her pretty face as a well of sorrow consumed her heart. "I guess I should just be thankful that he will be ok."

Ranma staggered over and put his hands on her shoulders. "No, Ucchan! You're wrong! You will see Ryoga again! We are goin' to get out of here. You hear me?"

Even the ancient warriors seemed crestfallen and subdued. The drugs seemed to have less of an effect on them but they had still received a large enough a dose to leave the two lying listlessly on the floor.

"Ranma, it does look hopeless," Happosai croaked. "There are more armed men here than I have ever seen anywhere. We would be outmatched the second we stepped from these doors. Even in my giant form, I couldn't handle waves of guards and Wraith. He's far stronger than he looks."

Ranma felt himself start to fall and he grabbed onto the wall, violently shaking his head. "No! There has to be some way out of here!" An idea suddenly occurred to him and he used every ounce of his strength roll onto his side. "Hey, Cologne, try the Breaking Point move on these walls!"

Cologne sighed. "It won't work. Even if I had the ability to concentrate, it seems this part of the castle was purposely made heavier than the rest. If I destroyed one wall in this small room it would dislodge the heavy ceiling and crush us before we could make good our escape."

"It's… no good…" Ranma cursed and fell down as the numbing chemical kicked in. They had less than three days until their execution and despite the odds, there was a small chance Ryoga could find his way. Ranma knew he couldn't rely on that alone. He needed a way to get out of here safely with his friends. As his vision swam and his mind descended into the gaze, he pleaded with the heavens for a way out, and kept at it long into the night.

No answer presented itself.


	13. Chapter 13: Lost in the Wilderness

Chapter 13: Lost In the Wilderness

"We are lost," The Dojo Destroyer said, startling the living hell out of everyone in the group. He hadn't said a word the whole trip leaving Ryoga to wonder if he even knew how to talk at all. The man looked like a ridiculous cartoon character with his fat, bloated head and short stubby limbs. If a fight came along that was a serious threat, Ryoga knew he might be in trouble. Little did he know the power the Destroyer held in his bag of dojo signs.

The small band was in the middle of a dense forest with no sign of human dwellings in sight. Ryoga sighed loudly, kicking a rock with his toe. They were lost. Same old same old, he thought. This was nothing new.

The only difference now was that he had a deadline to meet or his friends could die. For now, his only opponent was his own sense of direction. The odds continued to stack up with each passing hour. During all the confusion of keeping the group together while hauling ass, they'd lost sight of the roads and plunged deep into the forest

"Hey, it's not all that bad," Goshinkugi reasoned, holding up a compass. Hamburg is northwest, right? Well, at least we're going in the right direction!"

"Yah, but who's to say we haven't passed the city already. We've been traveling for a long time," Daisuke pointed out, fiddling with a small twig. A melancholy mood spread out, consuming the group's already unmotivated spirits.

"That's ridiculous," Ken piped in. "It's over 287 kilometers to Hamburg from Berlin. Even as fast as we've been going it will be a miracle if we reach it in three days."

Ryoga closed his eyes as if concentrating.

"I think," he said, opening his eyes, "we should follow the compass and keep going. The sun will be setting in an hour or so. We'll make camp and sleep until first light." With that he adjusted his backpack and continued on. Shrugging, the other's followed. It wasn't as if they had much choice.

"Listen guys, the two opponents we will face are tough and to make matters worse, we have no idea if they have any guards or not."

"I'm sure someone of Wraith's character probably does," Hiroshi called up.

Ryoga continued to survey the path ahead from his position in the front. "Regardless, it's a dangerous situation so I want you to be on your guard at all times! Principle Kuno, Dojo Destroyer, look out for Hiroshi, Daisuke, and Hiraku because they have little or no combat experience. Ken, you'll be on surveillance. I expect a fight in Hamburg. If we survive after that, it will be an all-out race for the castle. I expect you all to cover for each other. I'll be too busy smashing into the castle to be watching all of your backs. Understood?"

His small band gave verbal confirmation. Ryoga felt a bit foolish. He wasn't used to giving orders like this. He felt like he was in the military. He certainly didn't feel like much of a leader.

He stole a glance back at the band following behind him. Surely they would do just fine, combat experience or no. Most of them had faced sticky situations before.

The band traveled until nightfall where they made camp in a clearing in the forest. Ryoga soon had a small fire going, and like moths to light, the fire drew the members of the group into a loose circle. Ryoga marveled how the flames played across his friends faces: some grim, some smiling. He looked down at the helpful compass in his hand. It was still pointing northwest.

He asked the powers that be to lead him, just this once, to the right place at the right time. If they arrived at Wraith's castle only to discover they hadn't made it in time…

Ryoga felt a piercing pain in his heart. He brought his hand up to his chest and grimaced. He couldn't bear to lose Ukyo, not after all they had been through. She was his world now, his source happiness and love. He didn't see how he could go on without her. He had already lost Akane, and he wasn't about to let it happen again.

_If Wraith has touched a hair on her head, I swear_... Ryoga crushed a hand sized rock absentmindedly, earning the looks of his awestruck comrades.

"You Ok, Ryoga?" Hiroshi blinked beneath his blonde bangs.

The Lost Boy shifted nervously. "I, uh, think that if by tomorrow night we haven't found a sign pointing to Hamburg we should look for a town or something. There is no way that Wraith controls every single person in this country. Controlling key personelle in a major city is one thing, but I doubt he'd bother bribing and manipulating a small burg. After all, who would possibly conceive of their enemy walking over two hundred kilometers on foot."

"Dat logic seems reasonable," Principle Kuno said.

Ryoga cleared his throat." Listen guys. I don't have a good sense of direction...actually I probably have the world's WORST sense of direction…"

"Yeah, we know" Daisuke piped in agreeably.

"The point is," Ryoga continued, fixing his comrade with a glare, "I'm not sure I'm qualified to lead you guys into battle. I don't want to screw up and get anyone injured."

The Dojo Destroyer shook his boulder sized head. "We came of our own free will, Hibiki. Do not be troubled. We all have our faults and therefore, cannot criticize any decision you make. Look instead to your strengths. They are what must be thought of at this time."

Goshunkugi and Principle Kuno nodded, impressed by the quiet warriors speech. Ryoga knew the Dojo Destroyer was right. He did have a tendency to dwell on the negative sometimes. He poked the fire with a stick sending red hot ashes high into the night sky.

At least his group members were starting to interact a little bit better. The group talked and laughed late into the night before drifting off into the world of dreams under nature's exotic canopy. It took Ryoga a long time to fall asleep. He couldn't stand the thought of relaxing when his Ukyo could possibly be in horrible pain. If Zero got sadistic and hurt her….

He shivered violently, sending his prayers to heaven above. _I'm coming Ukyo, I promise I'll save you._

Despite this determination, his vow rung hollow in his mind. One nagging feeling struck him over and over again. He couldn't shake the idea that they were running out of time…


	14. Chapter 14: Zero's Hour: Hamburg Strike

Chapter 14: Zero's Hour: Hamburg Strike

A sense of impending doom settled in on the trapped group. Three days had passed since the devastating news had been revealed by the dark, energy vampire. Each person in the cell had dealt with it in his or her own way to the extent that the drugs would allow. Most of them drifted in and out from deep thought, coming to terms with the fact that in twenty-four hours they would be dead.

Valuable as they were, Wraith had made sure they were as comfortable as possible. They had also been given blankets and pillows to help combat the chilly nights.

Delicious and drugged food was brought to them, though they had understandably eaten very little. As a result, armed guards came in several times a day to administer fresh doses to hold the group in check.

Zero shared none of his master's compassion. He stopped in frequently to mock Ranma but eventually even he had grown bored. As a result, his check in's became more and more infrequent.

Wraith and Zero were worlds apart as far as personalities were concerned, but they were still far and above anything Ranma had ever fought against before. They weren't quite as strong as Taro as far as strength was concerned, but their energy and special attacks made up for that entirely.

Ranma looked out the high set window. Fog twisted around the bars and inside the room, a sign that the dreaded morning had had come at last. Akane held tightly to him, shivering uncontrollably. He held her with tears of frustration in his eyes wishing for even an ounce of his normal strength. He reached down and spread a thick quilt over the two of them.

Everything felt fake, as if it were happening to someone else besides himself. All it took though was a look around to snap him back into reality. He felt something along the lines of panic rise up from his stomach more than once as his survival instincts kicked in despite the drugs.

The gravity of the situation weighed down on his mind. He was a martial artist. He had trained for most of his life, learning many impressive skills and moves from the worlds strongest. He had won countless victories and won against incredible odds. But none of that mattered now. None of that could help him escape from here. His fist clenched angrily as he realized that he and Akane would never marry, never raise a family together, never grow old with their friends, never live to enjoy a long life.

Akane whimpered in her sleep, locked in some horrid nightmare. Ranma rocked her gently, whispering words of comfort softly into her ears.

Dozens of armed guards watch on from both inside the castle and from without, impassive and uncaring as the last of the equipment arrived in an unmarked truck. The countdown began.

* * *

Wraith turned his head at a light knocking at his door. _"Enter."_

Zero stepped into the room. Wraith, seeing who it was, turned his head to look back outside his chamber window. It looked as if a storm was brewing in the sky above. The heavy electrical air tickled at his sense. The clouds looked heavy, but his heart felt nothing but pure elation at the prospect of curing himself.

"I just wanted to report that several unusual men have entered the city's outer limits late this evening."

_ "So? They are probably tourist. We do get a lot of them this time of the year." _Wraith's voice became heavy with annoyance. Zero had interrupted his cherished reverie.

"My lord, these individuals are confirmed to be Japanese. Surely that isn't a coincidence."

Wraith looked neither surprised nor worried. _"Hmm…"_

"What are your orders, sir?" Zero shifted anxiously, wanted to be out of the room as soon as possible. He had a score to settle and he was burning to settle it.

There was no immediate reply. Wraith had a vast amount of patience and faith in his own planning, but to think nothing of this rescue attempt told Zero that he was either overconfident or just in another of his fiercely thoughtful moods. The lord was a complex man indeed, but with the ceremony only hours away it wouldn't do to let a man as strong as Hibiki enter the limits of the castle.

It hadn't been confirmed that it was him but Zero knew he couldn't take any chances. If not given express orders he would act on his own accord. As determined as he would be to save his friends back in Japan, if it was Ryoga closing in then the wave of guards currently guarding the castle would not serve as adequate insulation for Wraith's plans.

Wraith's thoughts, it then turned out, bordered his own. _"Send a detachment of the Hand the outsiders. You may see to the operation personally, if you wish. We cannot allow them to disrupt our plans."_

Wraith looked first at the painting on the wall then down at his talon like hand, a hand that had already been stained with too much blood and corruption. His face contorted and he seemed to be at war with himself. There was something else bothering him that Zero couldn't quite place. It seemed he still possessed a small shred of conscious that played havoc with his heart and soul.

_ "I've waited too long, suffered too much to give this up now. In the end, these unfortunate souls are mere pawns to be used as I see fit. I cannot give up on my dream. The sacrifice is just and the plan ingenious."_

"Yes sir. I mean, breaking Ranma with my own hands would be so much more satisfying, but I'll settle for his friend instead." A predatory smile crossed his evil face, tightening the scar below his eye.

Wraith turned to look at his friend, ignoring his second statement. He walked across the room and looked up at a huge painting. _"Do you know who that was, Zero?"_

"No sir." Zero had just about turned to go. He wasn't one for trips down memory lane any day of the week and certainly not when some outside disturbance was occurring on the doorstep and needed to be investigated. None-the-less, he looked up and studied the painting in greater detail.

The piece was of a smiling woman with rich blond hair, painted in rich colors and bordered in gold trim. She was wearing a breath-taking green sundress and her eyes shown with gentle happiness. Apparently she was seated in the castle's grand hall, just to the left of the massive dining area. Zero wondered how old the picture was. It was certainly expensive, he could tell that from first glance, and the skill of the person who had created it was impressive even to someone who lacked any kind of understanding or interest in art.

Staring up at it, he felt a sudden urge to know the girl who had posed for the picture. It was as if her kindly nature were calling him from beyond the artwork. It was little wonder then that Wraith kept this piece in his personal room.

_ "I surmised as much. This woman was the only thing I have ever truly loved. In the end, she taught me that emotions would only hurt you, and that love is a fool's dream. I courted her for ten years as the first stages of the curse started to take hold. I never fully showed her my true, ghastly form. It was the hardest thing I had ever done, lying and concealing the truth from the one I loved the most. I knew she wouldn't have understood or accepted my dark history. Never-the-less not a day went by where I wasn't in agony, bursting to tell her the truth and relieve my soul._

_ "Eventually, I asked her to marry me and she said yes. There could not have been a couple more in love then us! Life was grand and carefree... for a time. During those years however, my condition rapidly deteriorated. I used expensive surgeries to keep up my handsome appearance and no one was the wiser about what was really happening to me." _

Wraith stared at the ground as the memories became more and more painful and even though he'd now lost most of his humanity those hellish red eyes still seemed to convey a heartbreaking was like he was exposing a wound that had long festered in his heart.

Zero said nothing but was decidedly uncomfortable. He didn't really care about Wraith's story. The only thing he cared about was the lord's health because without it he would never get his compensation for services rendered. He simply kept his mouth shut and listened, eager for the chance to leave the castle and track down the intruders.

_ "Eventually it wasn't enough. My body had finally deteriorated too far to properly conceal. Three months later, I was undressing in my room and she walked in without knocking and saw my true form. She called me a monster and ran out the door screaming for help. She never came back and I have never seen her since that day."_

Wraith put his hand to his face. _"What a fool I was! Imagine a creature of darkness in love. I must have been mad!"_

Emotion flared up and he ripped open his expensive shirt, sending buttons flying across the room. Zero gasped in horror, stumbling back a step. The man's torso was little more than a skeleton. There was skin and bone, but no muscle at all. His body was very nearly transparent.

Wraith smiled humorlessly at his reaction.

_"A living skeleton. These spirits not only rob me of my life span but of my form as well. I become more and more of a dark being every day. That is why I avoid the light's hurtful blaze and remain fully clothed at all time. It's ironic that this suffering is caused by my own ancestors. By my own father._ _He's inside me now too, drawing out my energy, taking pleasure in inflicting the same agony he too shared at one time."_

"So," Zero said, drawn into the conversation despite himself, "each member of your family continued the line so that they could essentially live on in the future generation?"

_"Yes. I'm told my grandfather wanted to end the curse and our bloodline but faced with extinction, the very soul of my great great grandfather took direct control and controlled my grandfather just long enough to travel to the town outside the castle and rape a peasant girl, securing an heir. The curse won't let itself die so easily. _

Wraith seemed to come back to himself and suddenly the foregone pain was hidden. He turned and made a striking gesture in mid-air._ "The curse is the price of power. A price I want to wipe away forever using these children. That is why we cannot allow any meddlers to interfere. You have your orders. Deal with these intruders! Today is the most crucial day in my entire life. It is paramount that not a single disturbance reaches this castle."_

"As you command, my lord." Zero wiped his brow as he left the room. The master he thought he knew and the creature he had just talked to, he realized, were two different people entirely. Rushing down the halls and calling its warriors to battle, he realized that never before had he been so eager to leave the castle.

* * *

Ranma looked up from his hunched position against the wall to see Zero standing in the doorway, clearly in a rush but wanting to check on the prisoners one last time. Even Ranma's brain that was still doped up on chemicals took note of the horrified look the older man currently wore on his face. Ranma briefly wondered what it had been about. He'd never seen Zero express anything other than a sadistic pleasure in human suffering until now. No, Ranma thought numbly, Zero didn't just love to express it, he loved to cause it. The man was a sadist, pure and simple.

"It's almost time. I'm going to deal with something and return to watch your end." Zero showed not an ounce of pity.

Hearing these words, Soun stared at Happosai with murderous intent but his body also refused to cooperate and so all he could do was stare hatefully at the man responsible for the coming death of his entire family.

"You'll pay for your crimes, I swear it!" Clenching his fist, Ranma knew he had to try to escape, no matter what. He had to fight. A sudden urge awoke inside of him at the sight of Zero's sarcastic grin and he rushed forward, howling with rage. Unfortunately his body betrayed him and the bars still refused to budge.

Zero laughed, readying his stance. "Not likely, and certainly not by a pathetic martial artist like you!"

His second wind vanished and Ranma's weakened body crumbled to the ground. Using the last of his available strength, he reached out and took hold of Akane's left hand, staring at her engagement ring and the way it sparkled in the high afternoon sunlight that trickled in from the small window.

Sneering, Zero rushed off to battle.

Team Ryoga cheered loudly when they reached the sought after city at last. Spirit's rose and congratulations went around. Ryoga received the brunt of the back slaps but he endured it as a great sense of relief flooded through his body. For the last twenty four hours of walking and running he'd thought they'd overshot their destination for sure. Clearly the gods were with them. As eager as he was to find the castle, the first order of business was to spent an hour recovering their strength while wandering the town for supplies, resting bone weary legs and backs, and gathering information. It was vital to do so; they couldn't very well go rescue Ranma and the others on exhausted, un-rested bodies.

"So how do we find out which direction this castle is? I don't exactly see it poking over the horizon," Daisuke quipped.

"I have an idea," Ryoga said.

As the strange band moved into the city itself, the Lost Boy grabbed a passing teenager by the shirt and dragged him close. "Where is Wraith's castle?!"

The German youth stared at him with wide, non-comprehending eyes.

Ryoga brought his head in closer. "I said, where is Wraith's castle? Answer me!"

"Ryoga! Are you nuts?!" Mortified, Hikaru rushed forward and used all his strength to push the two apart. Released, the boy fell on his butt and then scrambled to get away.

"What did you do that for?" Ryoga cried in frustration.

The voodoo practitioner pointed one longer finger. "That's my line!"

"I was gathering intel."

"Intel? You can't just grab a random person off the street! Besides, the guy clearly didn't speak our language!"

Ryoga thought for a minute, rubbing his chin. "Well, it worked when I was in Japan back when I first met Ranma again."

Hikaru raised his hands frantically gesturing. "Again, language barrier do not factor in country of origin! Can we please try to find this castle without getting arrested by the local authorities?!"

"Guys," Copycat Ken said, smiling smugly and stepping in between them. "Leave this to me. I took two semester of German in school. I can probably remember enough to get us pointed in the right direction."

"Wait to go Ken!" Ryoga decided to forgive the guy for blatantly stealing his identity and attacks back when they first me. On this trip he had proven his worth. If he could handle himself in battle when the time came he might even warrant being upgraded to ally status.

Grabbing some food and water, the group began to search the town. Ken, true to his word, managed to muddle through dialogue with an elderly couple. Passing themselves off as extremely strange tourists had earned them directions to the castle itself.

Hiroshi lead the group through the city with the directions provided and as they neared the Eastern outskirts of the city by late afternoon, Ryoga cried out and pointed. The castle could just barely been seen rising over the modern buildings in the distance. Re-invigorated, thoughts of victory were fresh in all their minds.

"It sure is quiet."Ryoga wasn't talking about the noise of the city, which was considerable. The fact that that they had not met any opposition thus far was as odd as it was fortunate. There was simply not way that the enemy wouldn't know they were coming. If Wraith had control of Berlin behind the scenes, than it was absolutely certain reports on their movements were being transmitted back to the castle. An attack could come at any time and from any direction within the confines of this concrete jungle.

"Ok, this is where things get dangerous," he said, resuming control of the team. "Getting here was the easy part but now we are in the enemy's backyard. We could be attacked any moment. Do not stop until you reach the castle and do not let your guard down. Are we clear? Hiroshi, Daisuke, keep close to the others!"

He turned around, prepared for the fight of his life. He didn't know what to expect when he got to the castle. Having busted into two of them in his short sixteen years of life he'd learned that anything could happen. Regardless of what would come, he knew Zero would be at the forefront. Just thinking of the man was enough to cause Ryoga to clench his teeth together in anger. The desire for a settled score was something they clearly had in common.

"You're not going anywhere Hibiki! At least... not in one piece."

The group looked up to see Zero grinning devilishly from the roof of a small building nearby. Two dozen armed ninja guards stood behind him, covered from head-to-toe and battle ready.

Ryoga drew his umbrella from his traveling backpack. "Zero!"

A heavy wind picked up snapping at the American's loose clothing and long jet black hair. He folded his arms and waited, allowing Ryoga's band to prepare for battle. Those in Ryoga's group that could fight drew their weapons and stood in front of those that couldn't.

"It's awfully considerate of you and your friends to greet us after our long journey." Ryoga dropped into battle stance as nearby pedestrians took note of the disturbance and moved swiftly to vacate the area. He wondered why Zero had brought ninja. For that matter, what were modern ninja doing in Germany of all places? Perhaps they were Japanese in origin and Wraith had simply thought the best way to dispatch a Japanese foe was with another Japanese warrior.

"I would say you are the considerate one for coming to me. That saves me the effort of having to hunt you down."  
"Come on down so we can greet each other proper like!"

Zero laughed. "The only kind of greeting you're going to get is one that involves me sending you to the cold embrace of the great spirits of the wind! And you sure as hell won't get anywhere near that castle, I'll see to that. Kill them all!"

The black cloud of ninja swept up into the group like a dark wave of death. And yet, Ryoga's group surprisingly held them at bay. Ryoga's bandanna's and the Dojo Destroyer's signs slowed them down considerably.

When they finally got into melee range, the ninja soon found their swords shredded at the hands of Principle Kuno's shears in his ultimate attack "The Hawaiian Sword Shredder." Switching to hand-to-hand combat, the Ninja threw themselves onto their enemy in a rabid frenzy, embarrassed that their years of training could not quickly overthrow these martial arts rejects.

Ryoga bashed through three dumbstruck ninja and delivered a punishing right hook to a fourth as Zero leapt down and charged at him, forcibly pushing one of the errant ninja in his path out of the way.

"I'm so glad to see you kid!"

Zero's fist clipped Ryoga's shoulder but the extended motion left his face open to Ryoga's counter-punch that knocked him off balance. Blinking, the American hadn't counted on his rival to move so fast. Recovering quickly, he slammed his right foot down to the side and steadied his balance.

Ryoga stood, ready for battle, ignoring the fire in his shoulder from the grazing shot. "Ok Zero, here is where I even the score! You'll pay for what you did to me."

Zero's face twisted. "Try it punk! I went easy on you before."

The two clashed hard enough to crack the glass on the windows of a nearby apartment complex. Zero's longer arms delivered several crushing blows Ryoga couldn't hope to match. Outmatched, Ryoga back-flipped, untied his belt, and jabbed it forward, right into Zero's left arm, drawing blood and a grunt of pain from the man's lips. The Native American pushed on and threw another punch but Ryoga caught his wrist with unusual speed and flipped him end over end into a brick wall, shattering it around him. Having bought himself some time, Ryoga looked over his shoulder at the pile of unconscious ninja and his tired, banged up allies in stunned surprise. They had handled themselves far better than he had expected.

A call came up as additional warriors in black arrived on the scene.

"Go!" Ryoga cried, gesturing for the castle. "Reach the castle! Don't let them stop us!"

The sound of approaching sirens of the German police reinforced the fact that it was time for him to go. No one on the team had any doubts that the police were under Wraith's direct control. If hired law enforcement with guns reached them, the chances of pulling off the rescue mission was finished.

"I said, you aren't going anywhere!" Zero stirred leapt up from the rubble, kicking Ryoga backwards into a light post and bending it in half.

Ryoga's spine took the brunt of the damage and as he rolled end over end, skidding his arms and hands on the hard asphalt, he managed to turn the jumbled movement into a back roll that deposited him back onto his feet. His body hurt from the attack and for the first time since it had occurred, he gave thanks to Taro's attack. If it hadn't been for that his body wouldn't have strong enough to resist Zero now.

He watched his allies give flight and the ninja gave chase. He gave a crooked smile, exposing one fang, radiating pride as he watched the rag-tag band of martial arts rejects disappear into the nearby forest that led to the castle.

"Don't look so happy," Zero spat. "The castle has three platoons of armed soldiers waiting on standby. The only thing your friends are running towards is death."

Ryoga leveled his gaze at the approaching juggernaut. "It's just you and me. I'm not going to worry or think about anything or anyone else right now. I'll need all my concentration to kick your sorry butt across this city!"

The titans struck at one another. Tightening up his body to absorb pain, the battle seemed like two powerful walls battering against each other. An occasional blow would send one of the warriors fly. Ryoga made sure to always direct his attacks in the direction of the looming castle as he forced Zero back step by step, block by block.

Zero gave up ground grudgingly, doing what he could to slow the boy down He wished Ryoga hadn't sent the others ahead. They would have made ideal hostages to end this little assault. In the end it didn't matter though. He'd caught glimpses of the capabilities of Ryoga's group and determined that as long as Ryoga did not reach the castle, the rescue was doomed. Redoubling his efforts he tried to keep himself in front of Ryoga as the smaller warrior dodged and weaved and tried to run ahead. The strategy continually forced Zero to place his body in front of Ryoga's path with little time to formulate a counter attack.

"Stand still!" Winding through an ally near the end of the town, Zero swatted a trashcan full of garbage in front of Ryoga's face. Distracted, Ryoga was left defenseless as Zero punched him into and through the side wall of a nearby building.

Razor sharp bandannas shot out from the hole created, aiming for Zero. The man kicked the lid of the metal trashcan up from the ground into his hand and deflected the attack with the improved shield. When the barrage finished and he lowered the shield, Ryoga was in his face. Grabbing Zero's arm, he turned and pulled it over his shoulder. Yanking the man out of the ally and into the next street he jumped up in the air and pulled forward, flipping Zero into a concrete wall.

Momentum and Zero's weight sent him crashing down through the wall's center. Dazed the man crumbled admits the debris, but Ryoga wasn't done. Grabbing the leg of the downed fighter he pivoted and hurled the man through the window of another building, following him in to trade blows inside.

The building shook so hard that its foundations started to crack and shingles started to fall into the street like unnatural rain. The occupants had been caught unaware and the sight of two grown men grappling and throwing desks and chairs at one another as they tore through one office and into another sent them screaming into the streets. Neither warrior paid much mind as people ran passed. Zero tenderized Ryoga's torso with a punishing succession of punches only to have his own legs swept out from under him. The next second, a kick to the ribs sent his downed body hurling into a row of work cubicles.

These attacks did little slow either of them down as the two neither relented nor paused as their duel shredded the once pristine office. In Ryoga's mind it seemed as if they were a pair of rabid tigers locked in battle and going over a sharp cliff. This thought was enough to recall him from the brink of adrenaline-induced battle fervor.

He took a second to calm as Zero rushed him again, chastising himself for having gotten caught in the heat of the battle and not stayed true to his goal. Ducking under one of Zero's swings, Ryoga bolted for the door. The battle for honor, he realized, was not in defeating his foe in single combat, but rather to rescue his friends from danger. If he defeated Zero only to arrive at the castle and find Ukyo and the others were hurt or worse, it would be a hollow victory indeed.

"Coward!" Zero spat, giving chase.

Behind them, the police swarmed the building with pistols drawn, too late to catch up.

Sprinting as fast as he could, Ryoga finally broke free from the city and into the small forest leading up a slope to the castle. Zero gave chase and the two disappeared into the brush as police cars and men on foot converged onto the road in front of the forest. The officer in charge screamed into his radio for all units to halt and establish a perimeter. No doubt the man knew the penalty for setting foot onto the castle grounds without approval from Wraith himself.

"Stop damn you!"

Zero tackled his elusive prey from behind and both of them were sent sprawling to the ground. Grabbing Ryoga by the back of the hair, Zero rose and rubbed his face into the dirt before picking him up and slamming his face into a nearby tree.

_Crack!_

Ryoga didn't cry out in pain and that only pissed of the brute of a fighter more. Pulling back, he crushed Ryoga's face into the tree over and over again, trying to sap the will to fight from the infuriating kid. Each crack of flesh against the tree sent a jolt through Zero's mind. For every jolt the image of a fighter he'd crippled in the ring came rushing back to his mind. The thoughts of the past and glory days long since ended only infuriated him more.

No, he thought. They would come again. He would make it so.

"Sorry," Ryoga said, smiling and turning his head as much as he could, when Zero relented to catch his breath. "You're going to have to try a lot harder than that."

Zero eyes widened. Blood tricked down the teen's face but the only wounded area was his forehead. He'd wisely taken the brunt of the attack there, against one of the strongest places on the human body.

"Damn you…"

Twisting his body, Ryoga drove his knee into Zero's kidney with enough force to free his head. Turning to face Zero, Ryoga gave a single side chop of his hand against the tree the man had just assault him with and snapped the trunk neatly in half. Grabbing up the severed trunk he propelled himself forward, using it like a lance. Dumbstruck, Zero took the attack square in the chest and suddenly his body was hurled backwards again, straight into the embrace of another tree.

Ryoga grinded the trunk into Zero whose body was in turn grinded into the tree at his back. "It's over now. I'm going to rescue my friends. You can relent and let me go or I'll break your body so that you will be incapable of pursing me."

The look of surprise on Zero's face turned to amusement and he laughed despite the situation he was in. "Did you forget that I fought that Shadow Warrior of yours to a standstill? Do you think being pinned to a tree by a toothpick will stop me?"

He brought his large fist down on top of the trunk. The next second the wood splintered all along its length and fell to the ground in haphazard pieces. Left with nothing in his hand, Ryoga stared in shock as Zero pushed off from the tree and finally landed a truly successful, unexpected blow into Ryoga's ribs.

The Lost Boy's vision exploded with pain and he dropped to one knee as his arm came up to inspect the wounded area. The tender spot relayed his worst fears. Somehow, Zero had managed crack one of his ribs. It was a feat even Taro hadn't managed to do.

Triumphant, Zero loomed over him. "Finally clipped your wings," he announced jubilantly. "One more punch and it'll all be over. Before you die, I just wanted you to know that your little girlfriend will die any minute in that castle, along with everyone else."

He gave the words a moment to sink in as his disgusting grin spread from ear-to-ear. "Sucks dying knowing that you came so far only to fail, doesn't it?"

Ryoga was still for a moment. At last he looked up at Zero with glazed over eyes. For a moment the warrior took that as a sign of having finally broken his prey and he felt a sadistic sense of pleasure work its way up his spine. He almost didn't want to finish Ryoga off if for no other reason than to further punish his stubborn foe.

He cocked a fist back. "Still, orders are orders. Goodbye kid."

"It's never a good idea to gloat in front of me," Ryoga said evenly. "I find that to be very depressing."

"Wha-?"

Ryoga raised his hands and the Shishi Hoko Dan beam erupted outward, taking Zero with it. Screaming in terror the blast threw the man into the wall of the castle before exploding, dumping the fighter into its depths. No counter attack came.

"Now then…"

Ryoga rose to his feet, gingerly holding a hand to his side. A cry came from the castle walls and armed guards appeared, firing down at him. Ryoga went to raise his umbrellas as a shield only to realize that he'd dropped it somewhere in the city. Taking shade behind a thick tree, he spotted his friends who waved to him from their place against the outer wall. The guards as well as additional ninja lowered ropes and started to scale down the wall to engage them.

"Go! Into the hole in the wall! Go!"

Rushing past them as fast as his cracked rib would allow, Team Ryoga plunged into the depths of the unknown.


	15. Chapter 15: Rejuvenation of Life

Chapter 15: Rejuvenation of Life

Fifteen minutes or so after Zero had departed, a squad of armed guards, one for every prisoner, came into the dungeon with weapons drawn and opened the cell door.

"It's time," the squad leader said simply. "Don't make this any harder than it needs to be."

When one of the guards came forward Ranma used a scrap of energy and seized the man, trying to wrestle him to the ground and take his weapon away. The other guards responded to the sneaky ploy by battering his head and back with the butt of their rifles, pounding him into submission.

"What did I just tell you?" The guard said.

Several members of the Hand came in and properly restrained him for the trip to the other side of the castle. Dimly looking around, Ranma felt like the latest round of drugs had been even stronger than before. His mother and Akane's sisters were completely out cold. The others looked like zombies without the ability to engage in motion. That made the job of the guards far easier.

The group was led to another room surrounded by a contingent of Hand warriors and soldiers. Their destination was the west side of the castle. Inside what had previously been a spacious conference room, scientists were scurrying about, checking and rechecking computer after computer, preparing for the rejuvenation of their master. In the middle of the room, Wraith watching them like a perched black bird of death.

Looking at the source of his demise with clouded eyes, Ranma could visibly feel the black mist of darkness rise like vapor from the lord's lithe form. He turned as the prisoners as they were carried or dragged in.

_ "Ranma, I'm truly sorry things ended up this way but you must understand this was an opportunity I could not pass up."_

"Skip it." Ranma tried to sound forceful but his voice was reduced to little more than a raspy whisper. "If you're going to do it, get it over with."

The group was moved by Wraith's forces into a large circular area that contained a multitude of wires. The wires with suction cups at the ends were attached to the group's temples and on their necks. Wraith too, went underwent this process, linking himself to them. Metal chains and wires were wrapped around their necks, arms, and legs to prevent any last minute escape attempt.

_ "Years of research finally come to fruition," _Wraith gestured._ "I won't bore you with the technical details. Sufficient to say, these wires will painlessly suck out your life essence and transport it through another series of wires into me, giving me the new life I need. The only thing you'll feel is drowsiness, as if you were settling down to go sleep. Farewell, Ranma Saotome. You were… useful." _

Ranma leaned forward and tenderly kissed Akane's lips before their sluggish bodies were forcibly strapped down into crude metal chairs arranged in a half circle with Wraith in the center. Though she felt no fear, Akane eyes were moist with tears. He wanted to comfort her but with the chains he couldn't even bring his hand up to wipe away the tears in his own eyes.

She mouthed his name as images of a future that would never come to be played over and over in her mind. Stretching out his hand, she managed to grasp his and they held on tightly to one another for the last time. It was enough for the doomed couple who refused to look at anything besides each other when the end came.

Wraith gestured to the lead scientist. _"Begin the procedure."_

A switch was flicked and machines in the room hummed to life, commencing with their dreadful work. Almost immediately, Ranma began to feel light-headed as a part of his vital essence began to slip away from him, little by little, fading into the blackness that was Wraith's tortured soul. His vision blurred as a strong black force screaming with savage hunger latched onto his soul, feasting on its brilliance. His grip on Akane's hand loosened and he suddenly felt very, very tired. He fought it as best he could but a part of him knew that he was about to enter a sleep from which he'd never wake up.

Wraith looked down at his hands as newfound strength pulsing into him. He closed his glowing red eyes and laughed, exposing his teeth. It was a terrible choking sound that drowned out the high pitched humming sound of the working computers. A loud ripping sound followed and his body convulsed madly, straining against the bonds of death that held him. Nervous technicians watched as muscle started to develop in Wraith's hands and neck, slowly, sliding over bone, as if he were being reconstructed piece by piece like some terrible jigsaw puzzle. Little by little, the German lord was becoming human again and the terrible curse of his line was unbinding itself as their life forces neutralized the vast extent of its potent power.

His terrible laughter rose in pitch, and as Ranma's head slumped forward, he felt sure it was the last terrible sound he'd ever hear.


	16. Chapter 16: Tyrant's Vengence

Chapter 16: Tyrant's Vengeance.

A section of the wall beside them exploded and a large object crashed into nearby computer terminals amidst a shower of sparks. Frantic workers went to see to the damage. Guards stationed throughout the room went to secure the breech and to attend to the warrior from his place on the ground.

Wraith whirled around to the source of the disturbance. _"Zero?"_

Ryoga followed through, punching out the closest of the two investigating guards, followed by his allies, all of them except the Dojo Destroyer was wearing a "borrowed" ninja uniform that the team had used to further infiltrate the castle grounds.

Ryoga saw his friends near lifeless eyes and quickly threw several bandannas', slicing the wires attached to Ukyo and his friends. He prayed his actions weren't too late in coming. Ranma already looked far too gone and the others not far behind.

The re-growth Wraith's body had started ceased, leaving the transformation only half completed.

_ "Stop them you fools! Stop them before they ruin everything!" _Wraith howled, retreating into the darker part of the room. His red eyes seethed with naked hatred. A storm of ninja's ran into the room at his command and entered in hand-to-hand combat against Principle Kuno, Copycat Ken, the Dojo Destroyer, and Goshinkugi. Hiroshi and Daisukei snapped Ranma out of his stupor with a slap in the face.

"Ranma, you alright?" Ryoga asked, falling to his knee beside his friend.

"Ryoga? Man... am I glad to... see you! I'll be ok... just cover us until we get enough... strength back to fight." Ranma felt as weak and helpless as a newborn.

"Ok. Rest up." He checked on Ukyo and saw that she was still out cold but had a strong pulse. The sense of relief flowing through his veins was unlike anything he'd ever felt before.

_"Zero!"_ Wraith cried desperately. _"Get up and make something of yourself! Defeat them!"_

With a groan of frustration Zero rose to his feet and appeared in front of the lord, twisting his head to pop his neck. "That really hurt."

Ryoga was disheartened to see that other than being a little banged up, Zero was none the worse for wear. It seemed unthinkable given what he'd just endured. The seemingly indestructible fighter came at them with a vengeance and Ryoga realized he had to do something fast. The last thing his friends lying all over the place needed was a battle waging on top of them.

"This time we finish things, Zero! You and me!"

"Ha. You think I would have it any other wa-"

Spinning on his heels, Ryoga preformed a flying tackle, sending the two of them crashing through the solid laboratory wall and out into the hallway. Ryoga grinned through the pain, loved the sudden rush of adrenaline brought on through combat. Now that Ranma and the others were safe Ryoga felt free to finish the fight started in Hamburg. Having waged a destructive battle through the city, forest, and now the castle, it seemed unclear as to who the stronger combatant was.

Besides, he thought, Zero's look of utter bewilderment was priceless.

* * *

"We can't hold," the Dojo Destroyer cried out as wave after wave of enemies converged on them. He knocked guns and swords out of enemy hands, but more kept coming.

"Leave it to me! Transform!" Twirling his famous red cape, Ken flipped in midair. When he landed it was disguised as Zero. Grinning at the befuddled castle defenders, he cracked his knuckles and dived in on them with fists swinging.

Little by little, Ranma could feel strength returning, trickling into his veins at a madly slow pace. From the looks of it, his friends were getting better too, each recovering at their own pace. He was surprised watching the ragtag group Ryoga had brought along. Hell, he was surprised Ryoga had found his way at all. He thanked his luck and concentrated his efforts on getting back into the fight.

It would be the test of a lifetime. It was like going in for surgery and trying to stay awake after being given an anesthesia. Through force of will alone brought on by the hope Ryoga's rescue had provided, Ranma managed to find enough concentration to draw on his ki. Clinging tightly to it he began to try to purge the chemicals from his system. However, he quickly realized this would take far too long so he settled for simply cutting the effects down to a quarter.

More and more armed Ninja flowed into the large room. Ranma's mind snapped into combat mode and he slowly, painfully, rose to his feet. "Come on you guys. We gotta' hold these goons back. Fight for your lives or die!"

Kuno, Sasuke, Shampoo, Mousse, Soun, Genma, Happosai, Cologne, and Kodachi rallied to his voice, stirring and trying their best to heed his call. Akane hung back, protecting her awakening sisters, using a piece of scrap metal as a weapon.

Team Ranma at a quarter strength but augmented with Ryoga's allies flung themselves into battle shaking off their weaknesses, sending black-clad men flying in all directions.

Ranma charged through, brushing off the occasional hits that found their way to his body. He had someone to deal with. Pushing out into the main hall he fought against a dizzy spell and managed to defeat several fresh soldiers who had hurried from the opposite side of the castle. Ranma dismantled their rifles before continuing on.

"He'll pay…" Wraith had nearly taken his life as well as Akane's, and everyone else that had ever mattered to him. He was filled with a growing fury that demanded his attention. There was more than an ass kicking coming to someone so low.

During the thick of battle, Wraith had disappeared. He could defeat all the guards in the place but until Wraith was stopped the nightmare wouldn't end. Ranma ran up and down the halls with this singular thought in mind, hunting his prey with no luck. Every door he kicked in was empty. Hand warriors attacked him at every turn, slowing down his progress but accomplishing little else than becoming hall decorations as he plowed their heads into the wall or dropped them where they stood. He searched on, but the enigmatic bastard was nowhere to be found.

He slammed his fist into the wall. _It doesn't make any sense! Wraith is no coward! Why did he disappear in the first place? _

He calmed down, trying to think of where he would go if he were Wraith. Then an idea struck him that was so obvious it almost made him kick himself. He busted down the two huge wooden doors of the main hall that led to the room where their first formal meeting had been held. Kicking open that last door, Ranma rushed inside.

_Jackpot!_

Wraith stood at the end of the room, looking up at a huge painting of a woman. Either he was too transfixed with the tapestry or he just didn't think the intruder was a threat. In either case, he didn't turn around. His posture was totally relaxed instead of fearful or angry. That took Ranma off guard too. After all that planning and months of waiting, Ranma knew he would certainly have been furious if someone had wrecked his plans at the last moment. Something about the situation didn't make sense.

_ "Ranma, it looks like you were saved in the nick of time. And yet, you followed me in here. You shouldn't have done that."_

I'm going to make you pay for what you did!"

_"Pay?"_ Wraith laughed as though it was the funniest joke in the world_. "Any payment you would extract today wouldn't add up to a tenth of what I've "paid" for the last ten years._ _Because of that, a normal body and life would be worth any price... even if it had cost my soul."_

"What do you mean normal body? Look pal, I had a curse too. I changed into a female when I got splashed with cold water up until a few days ago. Don't whine to me about your problems!" Ranma was fighting to keep his temper down and he clenched his fist tightly. It was taking all of his willpower not to lash out at his enemy right then and there. He fought it down, tucking it away into the back of his mind. He wanted Wraith to make the first move and counter-attack from there.

_ "I was not whining. You turned into a female you say? Why in earth did you go to Jusenkyo? Ah well, I suppose it hardly matters. Still, I would have loved to be in your place. Turning into a female would be heaven compared to the body I have now."_

"Cry me a river!"

Wraith smiled thinly. _"Ranma, this disease is eating at my soul and my body. In two years or so I will be dead. The proof is before you. Under all this I am basically a skeleton. I need no food, no air, and no water. The only nourishment I need is this dark energy that courses through me. Look upon my face and tell me if you do not see the deathly face of a decayed monster!"_

The fact that Wraith hadn't tried to use them for power purposes alone took the edge off of his anger, but just barely. He hesitated for several crucial seconds as Wraith took a deep breath.

_ "Despite all this, I feel alive for the first time in many long years!" _He spun around and fired a ki blast, catching Ranma in the shoulder.

"Argh!" Ranma snarled, dodging another blast. He extinguished the smoking flames that burned his flesh, swatting at his shoulder and when that didn't work, he used the drapes covering the window to smother out the flames..

_ "This is the climax, Ranma. We have to fight. My plans may be ruined but I can still have the satisfaction of killing you. Who knows, I might still be able to take your friends energy and achieve my goals all the same. I'll just substitute you with that Hibiki boy."_

Wraith sailed in close, launching a volley of strikes. Despite Ryoga's interruption, Wraith had absorbed a lot of their energy. His increased strength was noticeable. With Ranma weaker than normal it would be an extremely up hill fight.

"Kashu Tenshine Amaguriken!"

Ranma's "Chestnut fist" was easily blocked. It left his body open for a rapid punch combination that sent him skidding backwards across the cool marble floor. He gazed up angrily at Wraith, as several bruised ribs screamed out in torment. He spit on the floor and flipped into a low combat stance. Wraith stood still several feet away, watching his target with his slanted red eyes.

"You know, I'm really sick of all this. I'm sick of always worrying about the ones I love being attacked by nucases like you! Especially my fiancée! I'm sick of crazy people attacking me all the time! I'm sick of not being able to live a half decent life!"

Ranma's fist crashed into Wraith's face, sending the man crashing into the floor. He jumped up and nearly smashed Wraith's rib cage with a jump kick but the demonic man shifted his body to his transparent state and moved to the other side of the room. The situation was the same as it had been against Taro, a sudden standoff that left both combatants reviewing their options.

_ "You have given me enough trouble Ranma. But then... I'm guessing I'm not the first to say that line, am I?" _

Wraith launched his body forward with an outstretched fist. Ranma dropped to his back, and brought his foot up into the passing man's chest, flipping him into the wall. Wraith's body formed a huge impact crater as the wall splintered. A ragged moan- like sound escaped from his lips. Wraith shook his head a few times and stood up in time to see Ranma standing with a large table overhead, preparing to throw it. The German lord dove to the side as the table sailed by, crashing into his beloved painting, destroying it with one swoop.

Wraith shrieked, his red eyes growing wide with disbelief as the tattered bits of painted paper floated to the ground. Rage consumed him and he bared his mouth full of needle sharp teeth. _"You will pay!" _

He hurled a storm of black ki with a demonic scream of anger, hitting Ranma's body and burning at his clothes. Wraith raised his hands and jammed his claw like fingers into the left side of Ranma's chest, lifting him off the ground.

"AHH!" Ranma cried out as precious blood spilled down his shaking form. He grabbed Wraith's wrist, trying desperately to free himself and escape the agony brought on by impalement.

_ "If I must endure my curse for the rest of my life, then you will endure yours as well! The advantage for you is you will only have to endure it a few moments longer before I kill you!"_

Ranma's eyes widened. "No!"

Dark energy soaked into his body from Wraith's hand and Ranma felt like his body was physically being dragged back in time. A terrible sensation rode out across his body that competed with the pain of being suspended in midair by talons imbedded into his flesh.

_"I can undo your curse by setting your body back_," Wraith said, confirming Ranma's worst fears. _"How does it feel to have your hope and dreams crushed into the dust as well?"_

Ranma's cured body was destroyed along with his remaining moral. He had been freed at last, freed of his hated lifestyle and now his dream was shattered. Tears stained his eyes.

Wraith kept his death grip on Ranma, holding him high above his head as the boy bled out onto the floor_. "Enjoy your final moments of agony, Ranma. Suffer as you have never suffered before!"_

* * *

Caught off guard, Zero had again been knocked senseless. As he lay unmoving in the hallway thoughts normally held in check took advantage of his vulnerable state and bombarded him.

Substance abuser. Cheater. Forfeiture of title. Disgrace.

_So what?!_ Zero snarled. _I did what I had to do to win! I had to show those who profited for a hundred years while my people were herded onto plots of land like cattle that I was the strongest man! Stop thinking about this! You aren't Jared BlackFox anymore! You are Zero! Act like it!_

Pep talk completed, Zero shook his head, trying desperately to clear it. He had to hand it to the kid, he sure did hit hard when he wanted to. Ryoga was rising slowly, clutching his burning left shoulder. Slamming into someone rib cage then going through a stone wall tended to make it sore, superhuman strength or no.

"Give up, Hibiki!" the man sighed, rising as well. "We have you outnumbered a hundred to one. You have no chance of winning. Even if you beat me the guards will wipe you all out."

"Sorry, but I never was a quitter. Blame it on my stuborn nature." He dropped down and rolled in close then did a one arm handstand, bringing his feet up, connecting with Zero's jaw. Blood flowed freely as the American flew backward crashing into the wall he had just pulled himself free from several seconds before.

"Impressive." Zero flipped to his feet and slid at Ryoga, scissoring his legs out from under him. Ryoga stumbled backwards and had just regained his balance when he was close-lined and knocked into a half flip. His back slammed into the cold marble floor, cracking it. He rolled away then climbed to his feet, never dropping his guard.

Zero attempted a snap kick but Ryoga ducked and rolled to the right at the last second, giving him a couple of seconds to play with. Putting his hands together, he overhead smashed the turning Zero in the forehead, knocking the man completely senseless. He grabbed Zero and lifted him off the ground then slammed him down on the hard floor, using his free hand to twist Zero's wounded arm.

"Don't move," Ryoga hissed through clenched teeth. "I swear to the gods I'll tear your arm off!"

Zero turned his head to look up at the boy as sweat matted his forehead. "Ooo, scary!"

Arching his legs up and back he kicked Ryoga in the cheek and broke the hold. He stumbled to his feet, wincing in pain. "No one has EVER given me as much of a headache as you have. "Final Attack: Breath of the Plains!"

As quickly as he'd summoned the Shishi Hoko Dan, Zero launched a point blank attack and Ryoga once again took the full brunt. His body was thrown backwards like a rag doll through the already punished wall of the castle's southern cooridor, causing it to fall around him, nearly crushing him under tremendous weight. Just as he was trying to rise, a section of the ceiling gave in, pouring almost half a ton of rock down on top of him.

"Convenient! No one will stop me from finishing it this time." Zero began walking towards him, pulling his sharpened tomahawk from his belt.

* * *

The pain in Ranma's torso was unimaginable. He felt like he was on the verge of passing out from lack of blood but the sharp sensation of pain brought on by the energy discharged by Wraith's body kept him in a state of awareness, forcing him to drink in more agony than he had ever felt before.

Frantically his mind assessed the situation and sought a solution. He was being held nearly a meter off the ground by the grinning demon he couldn't hope to defeat alone. He tried to bring his legs up to kick himself free, but they wouldn't cooperate. Already he could feel his lower half start to go numb.

"Who coulda' known... you would get so bent out of shape about a... dumb painting..." Ranma mumbled, struggling vainly against the inhumanly powerful grasp.

_ "That wasn't just a painting, Ranma. It was a piece of me. The only shred of humanity I had left in this cursed shell of a body. And you took it from me! I want you to suffer as long as possible before you die!" _

Wraith twisted his hand slightly, bringing a howl from Ranma's lips. It was sweet music to the German's ears but it didn't even come close to compensate for the damage the boy had done.

"Ranma!" Akane shouted, appearing in the door way, fighting past a squad of guards. "Let him go, Wraith!"

She saw the blood at his feet and as her gray eyes looked up in shock. She could see Ranma stare feebly at her, trapped while that monster hurt him. Wracked by drugs, the reversal of his curse, and now blood loss, Ranma's shocked body was turning a sickly shade of gray as his life essence fell to the floor below. Akane knew if this kept up, he would die for sure.

Fury blazed in her eyes so great it consumed her actions. "Don't you dare hurt my fiancé you monster! Fire Beam Strike!"

Akane's attack struck Wraith in the stomach, causing him to howl. His body literally caught fire, and he had to release his hold on Ranma to deal with the pain. Strangely, there was a smell of burning bone in the air that nearly caused Akane to gag. It filled the room with a nauseating stench of decay.

Ranma guessed as he rolled into a wounded half crouch, that Wraith must have been telling the truth about having a 'shell of a body.'

The German seemed to fold up inside himself, using his robes to successfully extinguishing the fire. Smoke rose from his trembling form like steam from boiled water. _"How dare you..."_

_Why is it my attacks don't work but hers seem to reduce him to a wailing pile of rags? Could it be that only female moves can hurt him? That's insane…_ Weakly, Ranma rose to his feel, clutching his burning left breast, applying pressure to stop the bleeding. If his guess was right then there was one last trump card to play before the battle was decided.

"Akane, charge up again! This time use all of your energy!" Ranma slammed into Wraith with his good arm, trying to hold him off for as long as possible. Hopefully it would give Akane enough time to collect the energy she would need for a finishing blow. A rapid kick attack, aiming at all of Wraith's vital spots successfully slowed him down, but Wraith recovered quickly, picking himself up off the ground with cat-like grace.

"You know the golden rule, Wraith? The good guy's always win in the end!" Ranma performed an uppercut into the German's face. His fist erupted with fire but it failed to have anywhere near the same effect Akane's had, proving his hypothesis.

_ "You're efforts are in vain! I'll take you with me!_" Wraith withstood the attack and savagely slashed his talons across Ranma's shirt, tearing into his soft skin. He grabbed Ranma by his hair, exposing his vulnerable neck to his talons. He drew back his hand to strike Ranma's juggler vein. His half destroyed tongue playing across his needle sharp teeth with care as he savored his moment of triumph.

A huge column of power crashed into Wraith's side, slamming him into a ceremonial wooden table at the other end of the room. Ranma broke free and staggered to his feet, holding a piece of his torn shirt to his wounded chest to soak up the blood. Wraith withered on the ground, throwing ki shockwaves in all directions as he rolled about, screaming at the agony Akane was delivering.

"That's enough!" Like a vengeful goddess bathed in golden energy, Akane stepped up beside Ranma and raised one hand, unleashing a third blast that further incapacitated the stricken lord.

"Good work... Akane. You're a... strong martial artist... after all. I knew you could do..." Ranma's eyes closed and he passed out from lack of blood before he could finish his sentence. Akane caught him just in time and lowered him to the floor as slowly as possible, trying not to agitate his wounds. Gently, she brought her lips to his, ruffling his hair playfully.

"I love you, Ranma Saotome. Rest for a while, ok? I'll take care of the rest of this."

Wraith stirred and climbed to his feet, howling with rage and dripping saliva from his slackened jaws. In his hand he clutched a portion if his beloved painting. It was the face of the woman he had loved all these long years, a woman concerned more with physical things than inner beauty. It was partially her fault Wraith had become the monster he had. Akane found herself pitying the monster and knew that behind the anger, a part of his soul begged for release from the pain.

The question remained: did she show mercy and end his pain and become a murderer or leave him to suffer until the end of his unnatural life to satisfy her desire for revenge. The question weighed her down and she hesitated a moment, just starting at the monstrosity that had once been a man.

Wraith's arms convulsed and he stared at her menacingly. His body glowed red and it almost seemed as if he was dissipating like water on asphalt during a hot summer's day. Black energy streamed from his body chaotically, trailing off in all directions at once. He knocked aside chairs and tables, slowly staggering over to Akane with single-minded determination. His movements became more and more sluggish and he staggered like a tired old man. Weak as he was becoming, his eyes still shone with power, reinforcing the fact that Akane couldn't afford to underestimate him.

_ "If I must die, then you two will share my fate."_

"I don't think so." Akane fell onto her back, hooked her legs around his ankles, knocking him off his feet. Flipping away, she stood on front of Ranma like a human shield, calling on every ounce of her strength. Ranma had saved her more times than she could count and now it was her turn to return the favor. With the graceful reflexes that would have put a gymnast to shame, Wraith slinked to his feet, snarling out a challenge. Vile decay appeared all over his body, accelerated by his heightened anger.

_ "I won't be….denied…"_ He swung his claws in an upwards arc towards her chest. Taken aback by his vast reach, Akane still managed to catch his hand, but not before his long finger nails pierced her side in a glancing shot. A punch to her face from his other arm sent her sprawling into the wall. She staggered forward a couple of steps, glaring bravely at him, suddenly looking as weak as a new born babe.

Grinning wickedly, Wraith teleported behind her. One arm reached around to grip her shoulders and the other prepared to slice her pretty head off. It was clear to him that she had no more energy left to fight with and it was all she could to remain standing. It was her fault for using so much energy in those last two attacks. With her out of the way, he could dispose of Ranma at his own convenience.

_ "DIE!" _

"Gotcha!" Akane broke his lock, elbowed him in the side and turned around, smiling brightly. Faking a weakened state had worked after all.

"You were…?"

"Fire Beam Strike!"

She released all of her collected energy from her hands, cutting through Wraith's body at point blank range. Bits of his skeleton melted away as his beaten form flailed backwards in shock. He hissed once, trying to fight the convection of power, pushing forward against the current, reaching out to tear her limbs off with his claws. He was unable to reach thanks to the extreme damage done to his body. A hole appeared through his chest and bits of bone flaked off as he watched. He tried to attach her again, but felt the arm he was using break at the elbow. He held up his loose hanging arm, watching the bone and skin start to disintegrate, leaving only a stump behind.

Akane had figured it out as well. For whatever reason, Wraith's curse was almost completely resistant to masculine energy but utterly susceptible to women. Thinking back to what Cologne and Happosai had said a few days ago, it would make sense for the Amazons to develop the curse and leave the cure in the hands of the culture's dominant sex.

Sighing, Akane cut off the flow of energy and retreated from the doomed lord. Wraith's time was at an end and he knew true fear as it gripped his mind in a cold, arctic vise.

Seemingly incapable of speech he made several chilling sounds in the back of his throat as his body crumbled to the floor where he lay in a smoldering, unmoving heap. His remaining hand still clung to the portrait of the woman who had once meant the world to him. It was a sight so absolutely tragic that tears sprung into the girl's eyes before she even realized it.

Akane felt neither victory nor joy at having defeated Wraith. Thinking back to Ranma's words when he'd begun training her, she now understood why her attack needed to be handled carefully. She had taken a life today and there was absolutely no honor in that. If anything, she felt sick to her stomach.

Ranma awoke and smiled up at her adoringly, snapping her out of a reflective state of mind. "Hey there."

"Jerk. Just look at what I had to go through to save you." She laughed, hugging him as tightly as his wounds would allow. "Let's get you out of here."

Ranma put his hand on her shoulder, stopping her. "Go, Akane, help the others, I'll be fine here. They need you more than I."

Still she hesitated. Ranma sighed. "Look, don't worry. I promise I'll be right behind you. I just need a minute to relax."

"But-"

"Go!"

Nodding her head, she bit back any further protest and ran out the door, back in the direction of combat as the rest of their friends continued to battle for their very lives.

Ranma laid his head down on the hard floor and cracked a little smile. "Good thing I trained her…"


	17. Chapter 17: The Limits of Restraint

Chapter 17: The Limits of Restraint

Zero raised his hand his tomahawk, triumphantly poised to strike the boy's head open like a ripe watermelon. It would be the end of his greatest hunt, providing another trophy to add to his long list of victories. Without wasting any more time, he brought his tomahawk down, only to have his wrist intercepted by Ryoga's hand as it shot up from the rubble.

The cacophony of snapping of wrist bones caused Zero to drop his weapon, clutching his broken appendage with a snarl on his face. Using all of his strength, Ryoga crawled out from underneath the rubble, heaving from the strain and bleeding from a multitude of cuts.

"You sicken me, Zero. You're a sad excuse of a martial artist and a horrible representative to America. You don't have an honorable bone in your entire body! Without honor you aren't a martial artist at all, just a bully and a fool who loves issuing pain."

"Who needs honor?! All that matters is victory!" Zero spat. He jumped up and slammed his feet into Ryoga's chest, knocking the wind from his lungs. The boy collapsed to the floor, hissing angrily. He tried to stand up but the pain from having been struck too close to his cracked rib laid him out again. The advantage had again returned to Zero.

Sighing with exasperation, he picked his weapon up with his left hand and pulled back, preparing to cut Ryoga's chest wide open. "Hold still while I'll cut out your heart!"

A breeze fluttered Zero's face, rustling his fangs. Blinking he looked around just as a stream of bolts cascaded through the air and powed right into him. The dumbstruck man was picked up off his feet by a strong electrical energy blast that pushed him beyond his range to hurt Ryoga. The smell of burnt flesh permeated the room as exposed skin began to blister and weep.

His head shot up in naked rage as he twisted with the current, lessening the effects.

The veins in his neck bulged as he picked himself up off the ground. "Who dares?!"

Ukyo stepped forward from an adjacent hall, striding towards the two with a purpose. "I knew you were bad news from the start."

"Bitch! Don't interfere."

Setting her jaw, Ukyo concentrated and fired off her attack again. Zero dodged the strike and it soared off down the hall. Striding towards with his weapon in hand he didn't seem to recall that Ukyo could control her attack as though it were a part of her own body. The energy pulled a sharp u-turn and caught the man square in the back again.

Zero howled in pain and collapsed to the ground. It seemed that a double dose of ki focused on the same spot was more than enough to take even him out.

"Ryoga! Are you alright?"

Ukyo ran to his side, helped him up, mindful of his sorry state. He admired her, smiling for the first time since he entered the hellhole. Concern for him was evident in her pretty blue eyes and she couldn't help but to rush to his side immediately after regaining consciousness. Even with her face smudged and her hair wild and unruly, she was by far the most beautiful person he had ever laid eyes on. Before he knew it, his lips closed in on hers as the two shared a brief moment of tenderness. Zero was left to agonize on the floor and everything else was forgotten.

"About time you woke up," he chuckled until his hurt rib screamed in protest and the laughed turned into a strained sound of pain.

"This is not the time for jokes!" She gently helped to his feet.

Ryoga's face turned more serious. "Ukyo, I'm so glad you're safe. I did the best I could to get here on time. I…"

Zero slammed into the couple with an executed football player tackle, sending them crashing to the floor. Wasting no time, he grabbed Ukyo by her hair with his one good arm and roughly hoisted her off the ground. He wrenched her spatula from her hands with a snap of his knee, knocking it well out of her reach.

"Now kids," he seethed, "see what happens when you mess with me. I'm going to make you suffer."

"Don't you hurt her!" Ryoga wanted to rush in but the risk that it would put Ukyo in even more danger temporarily stayed his feet.

With one fluid motion, Zero let go of her hair, grabbed her arm, and then snapped it back quickly, in the opposite direction nature had intended it to move. Spinning her around, Zero drove his booted foot deep into her chest breaking some of her ribs with a fluid snap. She gave a muffled gasp as she fell to the ground, hacking in pain. Her eyes widened as Zero planted his boot on her head.

"Ukyo!" Ryoga stared in horror. "Stop it! You're killing her!"

"That's the idea, kid. I'm really going to enjoy this!" Zero looked down on the hurt girl remorselessly. The brave broken girl lay panting and vulnerable, her pain filled eyes staring longingly at Ryoga. "Ry….o….ga…."

Rage spurred him to action. As Zero raised his tomahawk again, preparing to cleave her in half, Ryoga ran forward, fists and legs swinging as fast as he could. Everything was a blur as he plowed into Zero, howling with bloodlust. All that mattered was hurting this man, a man who was trying to kill his lover. There was no excuse for such an act and no mercy would be granted. As fast as his movements were, however, his opponent managed to dodge or parry every move. Zero broke through Ryoga's offensive cycle and swung with his tomahawk in a sideways arc, slicing Ryoga's shirt and nearly hitting his vulnerable stomach. He raised his weapon overhead, charging forward. His battle cry rang dimly throughout Ryoga's body. His blood pumped loudly through his head, drowning out almost everything else. All he saw was a red haze, and he fought with a fury beyond his normal limits.

The Lost Boy stepped away and charged up his ki, not caring about anything else. His restraint had been broken. Ukyo was badly hurt, and it was all his fault. If only he had been stronger than he could have defeated Zero without Ukyo getting involved. He thought about those things, allowing it to give him the energy he needed in exchange for dealing with unpleasant sensations of pain and guilt.

Dimly, he heard Zero's savage war cry as the man charged, but Ryoga paid no heed. His body moved on instinct, and it almost seemed, for a moment, that he wasn't actually performing the attack. He felt cold, and detached, as if he were looking down at himself, unable to halt the proceedingsHe threw his hastily created Shishi Hoko-Dan depression blast, throwing Zero back into a large, decorative stain-glass window.

Zero's eyes widened in horror as a large shard of glass pierced his throat and another through his heart, cutting the organ to pieces as they bore into his body. With a gurgled, desperate scream, he fell to the ground, choked on his own blood. He bled out in only a minute or two, twitched once, and then lay still. The Native American was dead, lying unmoving amidst a pool of his own blood. He had died as he had lived, violently. It was a fitting resting place for one so evil.

Ryoga just stared at his dead opponent in shock before fatigue and guilt descended upon him and he fell to the ground, guilty tears streaming down his face. No matter how angry he had gotten, no matter how much Zero had made him suffer, he had never intended to kill the man. Time seemed to slow down. He lay his spinning head against the wall, and fell into a state of transfixed nothingness.

He stared at his fallen foe, clenching and unclenching his jaw. "Oh gods…. I killed him," he whispered harshly, shaking his head from side to side as if doing so would dispel the image before him and somehow make it unreal. "I never meant to do that…"

Beside him, Ukyo stirred, groaning in pain. He put his grief on the back burner and moved to gently help her to safety taking one last look at the fallen warrior with a look of stunned horror permanently etched onto his face.

"These guys just don't quit!" Mousse swung a mass of chains outward, enveloping a group of started ninja with accuracy uncanny for a near blind man. The group had been fighting for more than twenty minutes and still hadn't made much progress. Where Wraith had gotten so many guards, some of them wondered while blocking furious from the well trained and highly paid castle defense.

The scientists and work technicians had long since fled the estate en mass and the computers and other equipment had been destroyed in the still ongoing battle. Even with Wraith and Zero not in the room to lead them, these soldiers, ninja, and guards worked feverously toward the singular goal of killing the intruders.

The black sea of Hand ninja were slowly building momentum through sheer numbers alone. The more Team Ranma beat them the back, the more they came back, stronger than before. Soon, the group was pressed up against the corner wall as the mass of opponents stared angrily, preparing to launch into yet another attack.

"Me thinks we are in trouble," Kuno said, raising his weapon.

"That's the understatement of the year, brother dear." Kodachi, flicked her ribbon once, daring any brave ninja to step forward and catch its embrace.

Principle Kuno, Soun, Genma, Happosai, and Cologne appeared at his side forming the last major line of resistance the group could offer. Black-clad men flung themselves at the human wall causing it to shift back and forth as various blows were laid and thrown. Mousse was flung backwards into a stone wall and Akane appeared, filling the hole and attacking with renewed strength. Grabbing a striking fist she lifted the surprised ninja off the ground and swung him into a group of his comrades.

Happosai had busily rooted through the compounds and chemicals the scientists had brought with them and hastily created a version of his patented Happo Fire Bursts. He flung these short-lived explosions in all directions, trying to give everyone some breathing room.

"Hiya! There no end to them!" Shampoo struck out with her bonbori, crying out various Chinese curses and battle cries. The ninja were becoming more and more ruthless. Their weapons were replaced with new ones and blows were growing better placed. Soun sidestepped a thrust intended to his heart and delivered a teeth shattering punch to the assailent, glancing back every so often to check on his girls.

Behind the group, Nabiki, Kasumi, Hiroshi, Daisuki, and Goshunkugi stood with their backs to the wall, watching the fight with frightened eyes. Then, to their amazement, the line of black started to recede before pulling back completely. A small cheer erupted from the group of desperate and exhausted fighters.

But the cheer was short lived. The Hand's strategy was painfully clear. A whole column of fresh guards pushed their way through the ranks of their worn down comrades and stood ready, shouldering assault rifles. The members of Team Ranma glanced at each other determinedly. They knew that the might not survive a wave of fresh reinforcements with guns. Perhaps that had been the enemies plan all along. Attrition was a near invincible tactic they could afford to use with a castle full of operatives.

"Take aim!" The man leading the reinforcements yelled.

Weapon safeties were clicked off. Akane closed her eyes tightly as tears flowed past her cheeks. _Ranma... We tried..._

"Horizontal blast!"

The advancing wave of men disappeared as a hurricane shaped wave swept into them, hurling the bulk of their numbers through the room's far wall and well into the depths of the castle, shredding room after room in its wake. The Furinkan warriors turned their heads in startled amazement as the few warriors left standing exited the room in defeat.

Ranma was leaning against the opposite wall, his clothes torn badly, and his body caked with blood. Sweat dripped off his face and his eyes had the familiar, glazed over look of pain. "Yer all lucky I got here when I did... Crap, this hurts…" He took a shallow breath, falling to his knees.

"Ranma!" The Saotome's and the Tendo's rushed to his side. Genma said, looking around "Where's Wraith? Did he run away?" Genma said, looking around.

"No, Mr. Saotome," Akane said, lowering her head. "He's dead...he was about to kill Ranma and I hit him with a ki blast then another one...I couldn't just sit there and let him kill Ranma...I...I didn't mean to kill him but..."

Soun looked at his daughter sadly. "Akane… It wasn't your fault."

"This was a real battle, not a sparring match," Cologne reinforced. "That man knew the potential risks for his actions."

Akane broke down sobbing. She'd fought and taken down some tough opponents before and had even broken a bone or two but she had never dreamed, even in her wildest nightmare, that she would ever have to take someone's life away. The thought of what she had had to do made her sick to her stomach.

"But… surely I could have…" She fought back the bile that threatened to choke her throat.

Ranma weakly placed his hand on her shoulder. "You did what you had to do, Akane. It was either him or us. Besides, he's in a better place now. A place where he's free of his torment. If anything what you did was a blessing in disguise."

Mousse appeared behind Ranma, rubbing a huge bruise on his head. "Where are Ukyo and Ryoga? They got separated right before the fighting broke out."

"We're here," Ukyo called as she and Ryoga slowly and painfully entered the room. They both had a severe look of pain in their eyes, which wasn't surprising. Ryoga had numerous cuts and slash marks on his body. He was carrying Ukyo in his arms, moving as slowly as possible as to keep from hurting her further. Everyone noticed that her arm hung at a terribly odd angle.

"Hiya! What happen to you two?" Shampoo asked, stepping toward the pair.

"Zero." Ryoga mumbled, tears flowing from his eyes, showing his grief as it exploded from within. His gaze met Ranma's and he knew Ranma understood what had happened. There was really no need for words, but Ryoga couldn't hold back, he had to allow his grief to flood out of his system.

"He won't be giving us anymore trouble...he's dead. I had just gained the upper hand when he grabbed Ukyo and snapped her arm and ribs, hoping to distract me and deliver a killing blow and I...I lost all control and slammed his body right into a glass wall, sending shards through his body and into his heart. It wasn't pretty… Ryoga choked off the last few words, bowing his head.

Akane put her arm on his shoulder, being the only other person there who truly knew how he felt.

Mousse appeared at Ukyo's side. "Ryoga, set her down for a moment if you please.

He produced a sling from his endless bag of items, which he attached, with the greatest of skill to Ukyo's arm. She winced as the snapped bone was made to hang against her chest and clenching her teeth with all her strength to keep from screaming in agony. Next he removed a roll of medical rope, attaching it snuggly around her ribs. Ukyo set her teeth, nearly fainting from the pain the treatment produced. "It hurts..."

"Trust me, this is necessary," he replied solemnly. If I don't tape this up you might puncture a vital organ. This should hold until we can get you to a hospital."

Kuno saw Ryoga's haunted look and put a warm hand on his comrade's shoulders. "T'was not your fault, Hibiki. Curse not your own name but instead the name of mortality, which makes us succumb to such things as anger and despair. You cannot fight emotions, especially ones that occur when a loved one is injured."

"He's right man. A warrior trains fer' all situations...even ones that might involve taking a life. All you can do now is put it behind you, block it out as though it never happened, ya know? Guys like Zero don't deserve our grief." Ranma sighed. "He was a bully and a sadist without even one redeeming trait."

Ryoga reflected on a lot of things all at once as they patched up Ukyo and several of the others who had no-serious injuries. He recalled chasing after Ranma and trying time after time to kill him. After having accidently killed Zero, Ryoga now seriously doubted that he would have finished off Ranma, if given the choice. It was true that a martial artist's life was fraught with peril, but that didn't mean taking a life should ever become easy. The respect of life was as important to the martial arts as anything else.

That being said, Ryoga thought, a man like Zero would not and should be mourned.

Ryoga lifted his head, and wiped a stray tear away. "Yeah, I guess you guys are right. I think I should give him a proper burial at least."

"Admirable," Genma said, then gruffly added, "more than he deserves, but admirable all the same."

"There's one question I've wanted to know since the beginning," Ryoga said. "Why did Wraith want you all in the first place? What was the purpose of bringing you all here?"

"He was dying," Mousse replied darkly. "Wraith needed the energy of powerful martial artists who were in harmony with their own life force to rejuvenate his body so he could see his dream of world conquest come about. I don't know if that would have ever happened, but with people like Wraith you never know."

"Another villain. They're all so much alike! Pantyhose, Copy Cat Ken, the Orochi, Saffron, all of them simple minded idiots," Ryoga muttered rising angrily to his feet. "Why do they always have to screw around with our lives? Why do they have to make them more complicated than they already are?!"

Ranma saw it from the corner of his eye. There was a loud growl and then a tsunami of dark energy cut through the air, impacting against the members of Team Ranma and catching them completely off guard.

_"You interlopers dare speak of making things more complicated after all you've done?! Bad comedy at best."_

Wraith slithered out from the shadows with his remaining hand upraised. His once shining red eyes flickered now, like a street light on its last legs. Having taken the brunt of the unexpected attack, no one was in any position to swiftly counterattack as Wraith drew closer, his wrecked body barely holding together.

"How are you alive?!"

_"You should always check the body of your enemy after you 'vanquish' them, Ranma."_

Wraith waved his hand in a sideways gesture and more dark energy crashed into their bodies, sending them flying throughout the room. Putting a hand to the hole in his chest, Wraith shuttered and heaved, burning as bright as a candle that was about to be snuffed out due to reaching the end of its wick. He gazed at the shattered equipment, the broken remains of his dream of continued life and howled again as drool slid down his cheek.

_"All of you will die. Right here and now. I will have satisfaction for what you've done!"_

He fired a stream of energy but Ranma rose to the occasion and re-directed the blasts safely away from his friends.

"You can't beat us Wraith! Your body is trashed, your allies are gone, and your experiment is ruined."

Wraith seemed to deflate a bit. _"You have a point."_

Not expecting such a reason, Ranma wondered if Wraith was throwing the towel due to his submissive stance and tone. Unfortunately, that was just the opportunity Wraith was looking for. Shadow moving to Akane, he unleashed another area blast of dark enery, knocking everyone else away and pushed Akane hard into the far wall.

_"Then I'll settle for just beating one of you." _He raised his palm and pointed it at the girl as the dark energy continued to eat away at his body, consuming a lower rib as melted marrow burned and pooled onto the floor. His entire body, ravaged by physical damage and the curse, and turned into an overcharged battery that had nothing left to do but surge hard until it died.

"Akane!" Ranma climbed to his feet and started to run, trying to spring across the large hall in time to block Wraith's attack. It reminded him of the fight with Taro and how he'd narrowly stopped the defeated Chinese boy from taking Ryoga with him. The difference, Ranma realized in horror, was that he wasn't going to make this time.

Wraith fired the blast and Ranma scream in fear as the concentrated black and white energy blast turned the room from dark to light. Akane closed her eyes, shielding her body even as her senses screamed that it was a worthless gesture.

Then Happosai was there, jumping into the air with his arms outstretched, shielding the youngest Tendo from harm. His diminutive body took the full brunt of Wraith's attack, tearing a hole deep into his left breast. For several hellish seconds the beam held the master in midair and wracked his body with power and his scream echoed through the room.

Wraith cut the current and laughed. _"Perhaps the universe has a sense of justice after all. I'll avenge myself on the man responsible for the curse to begin with!"_

"Not exactly how I intended to repent," Happosai muttered from the ground as Wraith closed in. He reached into his coat and looked at Ranma. "Stay back!"

Ranma was about twenty paces away he reacted instantly to the advice, rolling away as Happosai threw the improvised bomb into the air. It detonated against the ceiling and then debris came crashing down, burying Wraith and drowning out his screams as rock shattered throughout the room. Half the ceiling followed, burying the German lord forever as Ranma and his friends sought shelter or to shield their lovers, as Ryoga and Mousse did.

A moment afterwards everything was still.

"Master!" Soun rushed forward and knelt before Happosai, cradling the elderly man in his arms.

"Well Soun," Happosai whispered, coughing terribly. "It seems like you won't have to kill me for putting your family in danger anymore."

Soun winced and tore off the arm sleeve of his gi, making a bandage and wrapping it around the master's wound to stop the blood loss. "Master, you've more than repaid the debt. Now I owe you more than I could ever repay."

"You will not die master!" Genma crawled frantically to their side. "I'll carry you to the hospital myself! Just stay with us!"

"Ha. Hahaha. Not planning on checking out yet…" Happosai replied weakly.

Ranma ran over to where Akane was embedded into the wall and helped to free her, checking to make sure she was alright. The look on her face was almost jubilant. It certainly wasn't the reaction he'd expected to see, especially after Wraith had come so close to killing her. Tears came to Akane's eyes and with one glance, Ranma understood.

"I'm not a murderer after all," she whispered.

. Ranma wrapped his hand around Akane's, giving her a small smile. "I think we had better get out of here. Several of us need doctors and we are all completely worn out."

"Sounds wonderful. I want out of this terrible place."

Ranma turned to everyone. "Come on, everybody. Let's get back to the city and find a hospital. We've done enough for today."

Ranma and his friends limped out of the ruined castle as the dark presence that had always hung in the air like a dense fog finally faded away, leaving only the broken home to stand as a memorial for a vanquished tyrant's bid for life.

* * *

The Hand scattered as the police ran into the castle, casting their forms into the darkness disappearing form sight. The eight squads of officers that had arrived and secured the perimeter were under the command of one Commissioner Hans, one of many officials under Wraith's payment plan. A team of six men made their way into the castle with weapons drawn, preparing for the worst. It was the first time most of these men had ever entered the marvelous structure, and they banded together to keep from getting lost.

It was evident the place had seen hell. Battle scars were everywhere and in some cases, walls and ceilings had collapsed completely. Zero's body was found minutes later and the local morgue was called. More people arrived on the scene and scrapped up his once strong body from the ground to carry him off to his final resting spot. Investigators filled the building, investigating every nook and cranny for clues as to what had caused the massive brawl that had killed the man.

"What a mess," Hans sighed, turning to an investigator several hours after the ordeal. He looked nervous and his face was rather pale. Seeing the curious look of the investigator, Hans used exaggerated motions when putting away his cell phone after the call he'd made before entering the room to distract the other man from studying his face.

"Did you get the recorded statement from the foreigners before you took them into custody?"

"Yes sir, right before we took them to the local hospital. It seems Wraith is dead. During the battle, the foundation was shattered the lord was tragically crushed by debris."

Hans looked down from the large slab of stone he was standing on while survey some kind of strange medical equipment in the grand hall and quickly stepped off to a clear spot on the ground.

"What should we do about the Japanese? Silence them?"

"What's the point? Hans muttered. "Besides, this story is already gaining momentum and different news organizations are reporting on it as we speak. There's no reason we can't come out as the good guys and send these people home."

"But the damage to Hamburg?"

"We found ninja unconscious throughout the city. Not to mention testimonies from people in the city who saw Zero on the warpath."

"The Japanese too though."

"This will be the official report. Japanese tourists were attacked by agents of Lord Wraith who had plotted to take over the castle and plunder his resources. Fearing the police, they took Japanese hostages into the castle. Our valiant police forces swept in to retake the castle but our noble and innocent lord was killed by the traitors in the ensuing rescue."

"Yes sir. I suppose we do have an image to uphold for P.R. purposes if nothing else."

"Quite right," he said, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it. "It's over." A sigh. "I'll miss that yearly bonus, that's for sure."

"Back to the honest living, I guess."

"Search the adjacent halls Erik," he commanded. "Find Wraith's body. I'm going to make a call to headquarters."

The deputy commander pulled out his flashlight and went off to carry out his orders. This was his first time in the castle and he took detailed notes on all the damage as well as admiring the undamaged artifacts, paintings, and armor displays of European and German historical value. He glanced nervously towards the ceiling of the castles once or twice as the lack of structural integrity due to the battle made became glaring apparent. He hastily made for the outer wings of the castle where the damage was less severe.

Exiting the wing after a thorough search the investigator gave up trying to locate Wraith with conventional means. A dark, heavy feeling filled the air and the hair on the back of his neck prickled and stood on end. He spun around suddenly, but found he was the only one occupying the corridor. Spooked, the man took several steps backwards and ran into a statue bust of some member of Wraith's family in the middle of the floor, startling him again. When he saw what frightened him, he chuckled to himself, chiding his own silliness. His nerves were shot and he was having a tough work week. The mansion was eerie and almost seemed alive, a hellish environment that did little to ease his nerves from the chaos of the last twenty four hours.

Preoccupied with his notes and inner thoughts, Erik never saw the darkness reach out and grab hold of him, snapping his body in half with one quick, brutal movement. The unfortunate man's lifeless torso hit the ground with a wet slapping sound as his lifeless eyes stared up towards the roof above. A fountain of blood showered the shifting evil as it came out from the shadows and howled with delight, smashing through the castle with reckless abandonment, convulsing within itself. With one hand it slaughtered those still inside, enveloping bodies into a crushing darkness that traveled too fast to be properly identified.

Malice, hatred, power, Wraith existed as all of these things, tearing into both the living and the nonliving with demonic fury. Bullets sunk into it but it didn't even flinch, much less bleed. From the depths of the hellish blackness, it howled again, shattering expensive glass with its inhuman tone. Men tried to flee but found to their horror that the doors wouldn't open, no matter how hard they tried. Radios failed to transmit and the very ground crept beneath their feet. The very house obeyed the terrible monster's call.

_"Vengeance…."_ The remaining clawed hand scraped at the walls.

His sanity gone, the lord moved throughout the castle taking whatever scraps of power he could using a new technique born from intense necessity. The ghosts of the past trapped inside of his mind and body controlled every movement like the strings of a marionette. It was they who had thrown up the small shield just before the debris had landed and it was who, at least for now, had a foot in the world of the living. Thus Wraith had become a prisoner within the crumbling remains of his dying body.

With grace and speed rivaling any demon of hell, the lord bathed the ground in blood, snapping off heads and rending flesh, stealing energy to augment to his own. The hideous screams of the dead and dying continued on long into the night accompanied by the lone source of the hunting evil, howling madly as a blood moon rose high overhead in the dark evening sky. What was left of the lord's consciousness, terribly hungry from saving itself from a near death experience, fed on their fear, lapping at it like it was the sweetest of fine wine. The wind picked up, whistling mournfully as nature herself lamented the existence of such an abomination.

Commissioner Hans returned to his parked squad car on a large hill near the castle and climbed in, wincing as the screams from within the building rose in agony. He listened to the gruesome monstrosity feed, chewing through bone as if it were the most delicious thing in the world. Resisting the urge to vomit, he leaning against the back of his car and breathed in long, deep breaths until he was sure his lunch wasn't about to come up.

Following orders of this kind wasn't as easy as he had once thought it would be…

"But orders are orders." he justified to himself. "Their families will be properly compensated. That's about all I can do. Sorry boys, but if I didn't obey my fate would be the same."

Picking up the hand mic attached to his radio, he took another deep breath. "Station this is Hans, there's been a serious accident at the Wraith mansion…"


	18. Chapter 18: Spiritual Recovery

Chapter 18: Spiritual Recovery

It had been a month since Ranma and his friends had escaped from Wraith's castle. Their bodies and spirits had slowly healed, leaving them all closer to each other then they had been before. The return to Japan had been a welcomed one and everyone was eager to get on with their lives and enjoy each day in order to put the ordeal well in the past.

Ryoga and Ranma never again talked about the death of Zero or Wraith. It was an unspoken agreement between warriors, one that needed no formal announcement. Life returned to normal, as did their usual routines throughout the city. It was all as if nothing had ever happened in the first place. It was the way things should be, calm and peaceful.

But not everything was well. Even after extensive medical treatment Happosai was not well. Having taken the brunt of Wraith's curse-infused energy attack, it had seriously crippled his lifespan. Lethargic and weak, he'd mostly stayed in his room since returning from Germany. Days with high energy would see him walking around the house, but he no longer went out to steal underwear.

Even when engaging in a spirited conversation his eyes looked sunken and tired. It was as if his damaged body had simply endured all it wanted to and was slowly giving up the ghost. This situation had necessitated a Tendo/Saotome meeting and on warm spring day near the beginning of April.

Ranma put his silent musing of the last several months out of mind as he and Akane walked side-by-side, into the dojo for the meeting. Sitting off to one side were their parents wearing somber expressions that dimmed the pleasant atmosphere of the spring day outside. Only Nadoka's sad yet brave smile managed to add any diversity to the emotional tension as she nodded to the duo and beckoned them forward.

Ranma and Akane looked at each other hesitantly, wondering what they'd gotten into but they heeded the visual summons and sat down in front of the three adults.

Soun gestured with his hand. "This is a private meeting for the five of us alone. I've sent Nabiki and Kasumi off on some errands. What we discuss here is strictly between us so please relax."

At their confused look Genma sighed. "What he means to say is, we are going to talk about some sensitive topics that you two would normally vehemently deny thinking you could fool us as to what is really going on as far as your feelings for one another. For once just _please_ be true to yourselves."

"Dear," Nadoka chastised gently. "They've come a long way these past several months. Ranma did formally announce his engagement to Akane in front of all his peers, after all."

"That is exactly why we decided to have this meeting at all," Soun said, staring straight at Ranma. "You've grown up enough that I think it's time. Not to mention the fact that we may now be running out of it."

"Out of time?" Akane probed hesitantly.

Genma looked down at his friend as a shadow crossed over his face. "The master isn't well. You both know it."

"And he's getting worse," Soun said. "His strength is still considerable, but Happosai has become an hourglass. The top is still full but every day he is losing more and more sand until eventually the vessel will be empty."

"He's going to die?" Ranma's eyes widened.

"This isn't like last time where he ended up making a miraculous recovery," Genma continued. "Yes, the master is dying and it is only his great strength that is holding the process off."

"But let us not get ahead of ourselves," Soun interjected suddenly, looking from one child then to the other with such intensity it was hard to imagine that he could normally be drawn to tears rather easily. "I have what may truly be an absurd question that I need you both to answer truthfully."

Gulping, Ranma and Akane just nodded.

"Do you two truly care about each other?" Before the teenagers could answer he stood up and began to gesture powerfully. "Has your relationship moved far beyond what two old fools arranged before you both were born? Looking at each other, is that the face you would rejoice to wake up beside every day for the rest of your lives?"

To their credit, neither answered immediately as they took the gravity of the situation to heart and truly thought about it. Looking at Akane, Ranma's head was awhirl with thoughts. He was still a teenager and he had doubts about any future that might be his own. Was he even ready for such a heavy responsibility as marriage? Was he certain he could be a good husband at such a tender age?

No, he decided, smiling, he wasn't sure of any of that. There was no reasonable way his young mind could even comprehend the challenges and difficulties of marriage. However, he would try because he wanted to. There wasn't anyone he wanted to spend his life with more than the short-haired, clumsy, emotional girl beside him. She was the puzzle piece that fit in snuggly with him and for all their faults; he believed time together would only make that fit even more secure.

Akane fixed him with a small brave smile even as her hand shook nervously and the gaze told him a million things, chief among them that she was of the same mind.

"Yes," he answered.

"Yes, Dad."

The three adults looked at each other. Soun nodded and sat back down. "That brings warmth to our hearts. It is selfish to say, but you've made our dreams come true and we are all very grateful."

To Ranma and Akane's astonishment, all three of them bowed low in respect.

"But more than that," Soun said rising back to a seated position, "as a father who cares for his little girl, I'm so happy she has a strong man who will care for and protect her. So I am doubly grateful."

He bowed again and this time Ranma returned the gesture, touching his forehead to the floor.

"Now that the situation has been clarified, we would like, if you both are willing, to have the two of you wed before Happosai dies," Nadoka said. "It would be such a gift for him to know and see the future of his school carried on past his own death. Of course, this decision is ultimately about your happiness, as it concerns your lives."

"What do you think of the proposal?" Genma asked.

The room was silent for several moments. Akane felt Ranma reach for her hand and she accept it, interlacing her fingers with his. Turning she smiled at him and the warmth that passed between the two of them caused the adults to follow suit, banishing the harsh gloom with love and a promise of new beginnings.

* * *

The wedding was decided for the twenty third of July, just after the start of summer break. Emotions ran high in the Tendo and Saotome family line as the lazy spring days continued to roll by. Already Mr. Tendo was breaking out the decorations and sending out invitations across Japan to friends and family as Nadoka reading up on western ceremonies. That had been Akane's one condition.

All of them had come to appreciate life so much more after their last encounter. The Tendo household had gained something due to Wraith and Zero, closeness between families that had been marginalized before. Even no nonsense Nabiki felt touched. From that day until the day she died, she never once missed the sun set in brilliant radiance.

A week after the decision, after a particularly grueling school day, Ranma sat on the roof of the Tendo Dojo, looking up as the sun sank below the horizon, enjoying the light breeze as it fluttered through his bangs. He smiled contently, letting his spirit to soar as the soft wind picked up again and lifted his pigtail off to the side.

In the background the sun started to dip towards the ocean and the crickets started warming up for their nightly orchestra. Above him, a local family of doves settled in on the dojo's rafters for the night, nestling against each other for warmth and comfort. Everything was winding down, even the heavy traffic that stretched on into Shinjuku like a long serpents tail. All was peaceful and in tune with nature. It probably always had been, but they had all been too preoccupied with their own selfish thoughts to realize it previously. The near brush with death had changed everyone forever and they had started appreciating the little things in life.

Life, after all, was what they had fought so hard for in Germany.

Ranma heard a thumping noise behind him but did not get up or turn around. He knew exactly who it was. Akane, clad in a new pair of green pajamas, lay down next to him and wrapped her hand in his.

"It's such a beautiful night isn't it, Ranma?"

He nodded in reply and she moved closer in order to rest her head on his shoulder.

A slight wind arose again, sending scores of dandelion seeds up into the dusk sky. It was a moment of complete paradise. Gradually, the stars appeared, twinkling to life like fireflies stuck in the heavens. Ranma pointed out the constellations to his fiancée and named a particular star after her.

"Do you think things will finally calm down now?" Akane asked finally after a gentle pause.

Ranma grimaced. "I hope so. Fighting Taro was one thing, but this situation in Germany hurt everyone. Ryoga were forced to kill and I'm ever so grateful that same situation didn't end up happening to you. As for your question, who can tell? Seems there's always someone out there that wants to prove themselves or avenge their honor, or some other load of crap. I'll keep fightin' for as long as it takes. I defeated Saffron, and I'll beat anyone else who tries to hurt you, I promise you that."

His face set with absolute conviction brought a flush to her cheeks. Then right in front of their eyes, a fiery shooting star shot itself across the night sky, leaving a trail of red haze in its wake. Akane forgot her embarrassment and smiled, pointing.

"Ranma, hurry! Make a wish!"

Ranma put his hand on Akane's cheek and turned her toward him, shaking his head. "My only wish has already been granted, Akane." He kissed her deeply, enveloping her lithe form in his arms. They drank of each other, snuggling long into the night, resting their weary spirits in the cool of the night.

* * *

Mint and Lime were ready at last.

The pair looked down on the great Musk Dynasty capitol with saddened eyes, fighting back their tears. Leaving their place of birth for possibly the last time was a tragic moment neither of them was completely prepared for. And yet, thinking about what they were going to do could only bring absolute pleasure and resolve that beat back the sorrow. It was a series of unbalanced emotions within the two of them, but they knew what they had to do. Their mission was just, and it would be carried out.

Their lives in China were over, gone with their humanity and the weakness that had plagued them. They were different men now, stronger, cloaks concealing twisted bodies that barely hinted at their former identities.

Lime grinned and patted his ally on the shoulder, allowing the thrill of the hunt to take hold of his warrior's spirit. Everything else was a petty matter compared to their main mission, he didn't let himself forget that fact. It kept the desire for revenge burning within his heart.

"Soon, Ryoga Hibiki, you'll be fighting us on our terms..."

To be continued.

Authors notes:

2-23-2013

Editing and revising this story transformed it from 65 pages to 105! Wow! One of the things I altered was the backstory of Zero which I purposely did not want to delve too far into, especially given at how clear Wraith's past was. Zero, reflecting back on it, is an incredibly unremarkable character, but refreshingly so to write about. He was a straightforward enemy with very simplistic goals and I wanted to leave his backstory as equally simplistic.

In addition to adding more of the brawl in Hamburg, returning readers might notice the changes done with Happosai. Reading back over the original story, I felt like he really got a free pass for the sins of his past and needed to pay for it somehow while still finding redemption. This change will also necessitate massive changes to the next story, The Long Awaited Moment, as well.

It has been incredibly fun to revisit this side world of Ranma that I'd constructed and left half complete. I'm eagerly looking forward to revising and adding to the next story and then working on the last two original works. As of 3-6-2013 I am finishing the last two chapter revisions of The Long Awaited moment. The time until I unveil the first original work of the Nightmare Saga since the early 2000's is drawing near! It will be the 4th Nightmare Saga story and I've named it Shadow of Madness, Blade of Light. I am also revising two of the other Nightmare Saga side stories as well. I hope some of the people who read my work long ago are still around to see it finished! And of course to all the new readers, thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for reading.

Thank you all for reading!


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